The Deepest Wounds
by Light-Eco-Sage
Summary: Sequel to 'Back To You' and 'War of the Champions'. After an accident in the Wasteland, Jak begins to doubt the very reason of his existence. Can he save himself before he makes the biggest mistake of his life?
1. Paradise

**The Deepest Wounds**

**By Light-Eco-Sage**

**Rated: PG-13 for romance, language, and some violence. (JK, DT, some TA, and some mostly one-sided JA)**

**Summery: Sequel to 'Back To You' and 'War of the Champions'. Things couldn't be better for Jak Mar. His enemies are dead, he's preparing to marry his soul-mate, and he's gotten his peace. But, after an accident in the Wasteland, Jak could die... not from his enemies or even Eco Poisoning... but from a broken heart...**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Jak and Daxter, all the good money-stuff goes to Naughty Dog. I do, however, own any original ideas from the sequels and this story, and any OC's that managed to survive the OC-killing sickness.**

**LES: Warning, this is a romantic tragity, so this isn't going to be a 'happy' tale. Maybe at first, but... Oh! Did you know that the word 'tragity' literally means 'goat song.' Weird, huh?**

**Muse: That was the most random thing ever...

* * *

**

**Chapter I: Paradise**

Sunset...

Sunset in the Wasteland...

Arguably the most beautiful sight in the desert, a rare thing since the Wasteland desert ruled over my the people of Spargus is so bereft of anything that could even remotely be considered 'beautiful'. All the citizens of the desert city knew and understood just how dangerous the Wasteland was to the unprepared.

Jak Mar sat on the roof of his small, but cozy, flat-like home, the roof gave him a perfect view of the Wasteland sunset. A sunset was a type of beauty that he hadn't seen or admired since his childhood in Sandover Village.

He sat quietly, not saying a single word to disturb the peace around him, and only admired the sight before him. Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming up from behind and Jak smiled to himself, for he knew exactly who it was.

It had been several weeks, almost a month and a half, since the end of the War of the Champions and the end of his Precursor-given quests... a month and a half since the night he proposed to Keira. To be honest, the prospect of marriage scared him a little bit. After all, he was still considered a little young to be married, twenty, twenty-one in a few months. But all those thoughts were banished to a cold and lonely corner of Jak's mind when the beautiful she-elf sat at his side.

It was Keira who walked up behind Jak and she sat down beside him without a word, she too admiring the sunset. As always, whenever she sat near, Jak felt whole and complete. Tiatin the Precursor was right... they were soul-mates, lucky enough to find each other in a chaotic world.

Instinctively, Jak put an arm around Keira as if to shield her from the cold, a near-meaningless effort, for nights in the desert were as warm... or in some cases, warmer, than Haven days.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity of silence, Keira spoke. "Beautiful..." She breathed, referring to the colorful sunset.

Jak looked away from the magical sight and smiled down at his fiancee. "I've seen more beautiful things."

Keira lightly elbowed Jak with a smile of her own. "Sounds like someone's trying to get something tonight." She teased.

"I would never ask you for more than you're willing to give." Jak couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, that's good to know." Keira said, pressing herself up against her lover and future-husband. "Looks like I've trained you well."

Jak ignored her last comment and cupped her face in his hands, turning it gently so he could look into her eyes. "I love you, Keira." He said.

Keira smiled gently and pulled the elf closer to kiss her when... "Hey, so this is where you two crazy lovebirds are! I thought I'd find you up here!" It was Daxter, Jak's loud-mouthed best friend who was constantly interupting Jak and Keira's romantic interludes.

Jak let out a loud growl and he pulled away from Keira. "I pray to the Precursors that we'll get more privacy than this when we're married." Jak told her. Keira giggled.

Daxter laughed too, mostly at Jak's annoyance. "Hey, I give you two privacy at night and... oh... the sun hasn't quite set yet." He said with a glance at the near-setted sun. "Ain't that enough?"

"When we're married, it won't be." Jak growled.

"Holy Precursors..." Daxter gasped and stared at the couple. "How often do you two do it?"

Keira glared at the nosey rat. "It's none of your buisness what we do, and when we do it!"

"Hey, whoa, calm down!" Daxter said quickly, noticing how upset the couple was becoming. And, mostly in the case of Jak, it wasn't a good idea to upset them. "I've told you before, I fully support your decision to marry."

"And we're glad for that." Jak said. "But Keira and I are going to be married soon. I mean... you're my best friend and all, but Keira's my future-bride. She ranks higher than you do."

Daxter chose not to tell Jak off for that last comment because it was true. "So, you two got a date yet?" He asked instead. "Tessie-Poo is really excited about this whole thing. She's asking me all the time when you two are gonna get hitched."

Jak laughed. "Ask Keira. She's the one in charge of the whole thing."

Keira also laughed. "No, we haven't picked a date yet."

"Aww... too bad. Well, you'd better hurry up." Daxter said, and then he choked up. He had been choking up a lot in the past few weeks. "My two friends... getting married... it's so sweet! I can't believe it!"

The sun went down and darkness crept over the desert. Jak smiled at Keira. "Well, in my opinion, our wedding can't come soon enough."

"Oh my God! It's dark already?" The trio looked around, and indeed, the sun was gone from view. "Guess it's your private time." Daxter gave Jak a very obvious boyish wink and then disappeared back into the house.

"Hmm... it's our private time." Keira said teasingly. "What should we do?"

Jak grinned mischiviously. "I can think of a few things."

"And I thought Daxter had a one-track mind." Keira said playfully.

"Well, we are engaged now." Jak said. "And, besides, I miss the taste of your skin." With that, he leaned over and began to nip and suck at the sensitive place where her neck and shoulder met.

"Jak!" She pushed him away. And then Jak reached a new low when he tried to use 'the face' on her. She laughed. "Jak, that was cute when we were kids, now it's just annoying." But he didn't give up and continued to pout. Keira couldn't help but laugh at herself as she was overcome by the awesome power of the 'puppy-dog pout.' "Okay, fine, I give in!" She laughed.

Jak instantly put back on his 'serious' face and picked her up. "I knew you'd say that. You can't resist me." He said with a heroic smile.

"Maybe it's you who can't resist me!" Keira said with a laugh.

"Guilty." Jak admitted before he followed Daxter into the house with Keira in his arms. However, they both had a completely different destination in mind.

* * *

But not all was well in Sparagus. Sig sat on Damas' Throne, having become the new King of Spargus. He had begun to fully appreciate the work Damas did for this city once he found out how hard it was to rule. Damas had the advantage of having been taught since he was a child how to run a City, and Sig didn't not have that sort of training.

There was also the matter of Jak to consider. Daxter had blabbed to Sig some time ago of Jak's blood-relation to the last remaining royal family on the planet. So, in all effect, Jak should be the one sitting on the Desert Throne, considering the royal blood that flowed through his veins. But Sig knew Jak too well... he knew that Jak would never take the crown. He had no desire to be a King or ruler, no matter his heiratage. The only thing Jak was presently conserned with was his upcoming marriage to the Sage's daughter. Besides, Jak had been far too young at three to learn how to properly run a City.

But Sig couldn't help it. Every time he saw Jak, dressed in the Precursor-made armor of his ancestor, ready for battle, he could not help but think of Jak as a Prince... of a man who should be Commanding vast armies instead of taking orders from others.

Sig was currently seeing a lot of Jak now a days, seeing as he was attempting to teach Jak how to swordfight... properly since Erol's defeat. Not that Jak thought he needed the lessons...

"I fight just fine!" Jak hissed when Sig had offered to teach him.

"You fight just fine for never having learned properly." Sig corrected the elf. "You fight like a beserker... hacking and slashing randomly. You lack form and technique."

"You can keep your 'form and technique'!" Jak said. "I don't need anyone to teach me how to handle a weapon! 'Fighting like a berserker' has served me well enough! I beat Erol, remember?"

"Erol?" Sig scoffed. "Even back in Haven, he was a mediocure swordfighter, he perferred guns. If you ever went up against a well-trained swordsman, you'd possibly get torn apart in an instant."

Jak, of course, didn't take this comment very lightly. He had sworn never to kill his friends, but he didn't say that he wouldn't teach them lessons when they questioned his powess in battle. What issued was a short fight with interesting results. The only thing Jak managed to do in the fight was get disarmed, bruised, and pissed. Only then did he grudgingly agree to the swordfighting lessons.

Besides the short fight when he had successfully kicked the young elf's ass, everything was rather quiet and dull, not at all to Sig's liking. Damas had once called this the 'calm before the storm'. A terrible sense of foreboding told Sig that, yes... something bad was going to happen in the near future. And, what's worse, he felt like, somehow, it would be all his fault.

* * *

**LES: Okay, I'd like to say first off that I'm not quite as happy with this story as 'War of the Champions'. First off... it's way, I mean WAY shorter! Number two... it's not quite as epic, and doesn't have too many 'fight' scenes. This is more of a character study in relation to tragity. And I'm not too happy with some of the scenes later on because I was forced to cut several of them and it kinda made me upset. But, it's still important, and it's still good, and it's still nessassary. In fact, don't even listen to me. I'm just looking at the bad stuff right now. They say that an artist, or in this case: author, sees only the bad in his or her own work, and I'm falling victum to that.**


	2. Just Life

**Chapter II: Just Life**

**LES: Okay, I admit it. This story was majorly inspired by a Disney movie, the first one to actually make me cry since 'The Lion King'. Just one hint. It's a sequel to a Disney movie that, as far as I know, is the only one in which the main character has two living parents.

* * *

**

But, by all means, romance wasn't only blooming for Jak and Keira. But Daxter, of all people, had a girlfriend of his own. It had happened after Jak had defeated Erol. Tess had been turned into an Ottsel by accident, which made their relationship not only possible, but down-right nessassary.

But Tess was currently only interested in Jak and Keira's realtionship, as well as their engagement and upcoming marriage. "I was really surprised when he proposed to her." Tess said off-handedly. "They seem so different."

"Well, you know what they say, baby. 'Oppisites attract'." Daxter said with a laugh. "They are different, no one denies it, but, somehow, they are practically perfect for each other." Daxter paused, and then grinned mischeviously. "You know... I asked them 'The Question'."

"What question?" Tess asked.

"You know... The Question." Daxter put empasis on the word 'the'.

"Oh!" Tess said, understanding what Daxter meant. "You mean 'The Question'?"

"Yep. I asked them, seperately, if they were planning on having any kids." Daxter stated proudly.

"Children? Really? What did they say?" Tess asked.

"Well, I got to Jak first." Daxter said. "I was all like 'Hey, Jak, are you and Keira gonna have kids'?"

"What did he say?" Tess asked excitedly.

"Well... he blushed worse than I have ever seen him blush since Sandover and said 'Maybe one or two in a few years'." Daxter said, over-exagerating Jak's husky voice.

"And did you ask Keira?" Tess asked.

"Sure. What kind of snoop do you take me for to leave the job half finished?" Daxter demanded.

"What did she say?"

"She said 'As many as possible'!" Daxter said, now over-exagerating Keira's voice. And then he sighed.

"I hope that doesn't start an arguement between them." Tess said. "And I definately hope that Keira doesn't start to bug Jak for kids before he's ready to give them. It would be terrible if they split so badly on the kid issue."

"Don't worry. I've already worked out a compromise for them." Daxter said. "Keira said 'as many as possible', but it looks like 'as many as possible' is only going to be 'one or two in a few years'."

Tess couldn't stop a sigh. "I think it's so sweet and romantic!" Daxter couldn't stop a gag that Tess, thankfully, didn't notice. "Just how long have they been in love with each other?"

Daxter laughed. "Since they were pre-teens. Hell, everyone knew they were head-over-heels in love with each other for ages... only they denied it."

"So... where are they now?" Tess said.

"Do you really want to know?" Daxter asked, but didn't give Tess time to answer before he answered her question anyway. "In Jak's room, hopping on the good foot and doing the bad thing." Tess giggled. "I'm serious!" Daxter said. "It's kind of strange knowing that your two best friends are sleeping together, but they are engaged, I guess they can do anything they want."

"You're right about that." Tess said.

"Oh! And, you know what's really strange?" Daxter exclaimed. "For the last few days, Jak's been coming home covered in bruises and in a really foul mood. I wonder what he's been up to..."

"Don't wonder." Tess said without thinking. Turns out, she regreted not thinking before speaking. "That will just lead to strange places."

Daxter and Tess stared at each other for a moment. "Eww!" They both exclaimed at the same time.

* * *

Later that day, Jak had gone, grudingly, to meet with Sig. Jak found him in a large, empty room of the Spargain Palace. "So, what torture are you going to put me through today, your Highness?" Jak grinned mockingly at Sig.

Sig, looking every bit a Wasteland King, ignored the young elf's comment, knowing that Jak was just trying to upset him into a rage. Sig pulled out a large katana that he used in the absence of his PeaceMaker. "I thought we'd go over the basics again." Sig said casually.

"The BASICS?!?" Jak erupted. "Again? I KNOW the basics! We've BEEN OVER the basics a million times! You've TATTOOED the basics on the INSIDE of my SKULL! If we have to go over the basics again...!"

"Whoa, calm down." Sig said. "I'm just kidding. How about we test you on how much you've learned?"

"You won't defeat me so easily this time!" Jak hissed, he had been waiting to pay Sig back for beating him the last time they dueled.

Sig sighed. "Don't make me have to kick your ass again."

"I'd like to see you try that again... old man." Jak sneered.

"Don't try to get me like that." Sig said. "Now, arm yourself."

Jak conjured a Light Sword and rushed at Sig in an instant offensive. Sig merely flicked the Light weapon aside and, within seconds, both were locked in a 'back and forth' action. Finally, the two swords locked as they fought for dominance.

"I wanted to talk with you." Sig began while he fought to over-power the short, but powerful elf.

Jak almost laughed. "Is this how you begin all your 'talks'?"

"This is serious." Sig said. "I know that you're Damas' boy."

"Daxter told you?" Jak asked, disengaging the weapon and striking at Sig, only to find that the King managed to block his strike and they locked again in a battle of dominance.

"Yes. I don't know if you're aware of this, but Damas named me the Godfather of his son."

Jak pulled away from Sig instantly, staring at him. "What?"

"Just thought you should know." Sig said, slashing at Jak, who barely managed to block the blow. "Also, about being Damas' boy, it's only a matter of time before the people scream for you to take the Throne of your father..." Sig said during the breaks of the fight.

Then, Jak lost it. He forgot everything that Sig had taught him about proper swordfighting and slipped back into his old 'beserker' style. He slashed haphazardly at Sig and the King was unable to block such an unortodox strike. The Weapon rested a mere centimeter above the skin of Sig's throat. Jak grinned in victory. "You're dead." He said.

Sig grinned back. "So are you." Jak felt something poke his stomach and he looked down. The Katana was about to impale him, the weapon's point resting just below where his breastplate ended. It would still have been a fatal blow if Sig has actually impaled him.

Jak dropped his sword and backed away from Sig and the weapon that came within inches of impaling him. "So, we're both dead... again."

Sig laughed. "See? Once you get emotional enough, you slip back into your old beserker style."

Jak laughed. "So... that's why you told me that you're my... Godfather and that people want me to take my father's throne? Just to get me to react?"

"Actually, no. That's all true." Sig said. "But it did work out well, didn't it?"

"Wait..." Jak fell silent for several seconds. "Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Wait a second... number one: When is that even slightly not weird. And, number two: Do I look like royalty material to you?"

If Sig would have answered the truth, he would have said 'yes'. But that wasn't the comment that Jak wanted at the moment, not when he had so many other things on his plate. "Don't worry about it, Jak, I figured you wouldn't take the Throne in a million years. Just know this now..." Sig paused, wondering how he should put this to not make Jak lose his head. "How long do you think you can last in this City, being Damas' son, and not take some sort of possition of power?" Jak didn't answer, but the question made him axcious. "Hey, I've got a job for you, to keep your mind off things."

"Now you're talking." Jak said.

"We've discovered some ancient machinery out in the desert." Sig began.

"Precursor?" Jak asked.

"Most likely not." Sig said. "It doesn't read like Precursor stuff. Some people think that it might be ancient Elvin machinery."

"That's rare." Jak said. "We didn't have a lot of our own machinery in pre-Haven time. Most of our stuff came from Precursor technology. So... you want me to drive out and find out what it is? Sig... I may have grown up five-hundred years ago, but I'm not an expert on ancient machinery... expecially not Elvin stuff."

"Well... you may not be... but your fiancee is." Sig said carefully.

Jak stared at Sig. "Wait a second... you want me to drive my financee into the Wasteland, find this machinery, then come back with a full report?" Jak paused. "Is it at least close?"

"Don't get your hopes up. It's at least a day's drive from here, deeper into the Wasteland." Sig said. "Just think of it as... an early honeymoon."

"Yeah, I'm sure dying in the middle of the desert will be a very romantic honeymoon." Jak said sarcastically.

"We won't send you out there unprepared." Sig said. "There will be enough food and water to keep you and Keira going strong for a week. Hell, you could even take Daxter along, if you wish."

"If I took Daxter, that really wouldn't be a good honeymoon, would it?" Jak said obviously.

Sig laughed. "You're right about that one. How about I keep an eye on Dax while you're gone?"

"Be sure to use both eyes." Jak said. "Dax can be a real pain in the ass when he wants to be... trust me on that."

"Oh, and Jak... good luck." Sig said.

"Don't say good luck!" Jak said. "Remember what Damas said? 'I'd say 'good luck', but then luck won't help you'. Don't jinx me, Sig." With that, Jak walked out, leaving Sig alone.

The Wastelander King couldn't explain why... but he couldn't shake the feeling that he just made the worst mistake of his life.

* * *

**LES: Once again, I warn you, it's going to be a tragity that's not quite as epic as the last two stories.**


	3. Never Meant To Be

**Chapter III: Never Meant To Be?**

**Muse: How come you never talk to Light in these author's notes?**

**LES: He... he scares me.**

**Muse: What? He scares you? You've talked to Dark one-on-one several times, and you're scared of Light?**

**LES: I have my reasons!**

**Muse: Really?**

**LES: Okay, do you want to know why I'm scared of Light? Oye! Jak! Come here a second!**

**Jak: What?**

**LES: Turn into your Light form... let Light take you over for a second.**

**Jak: What? Oh... okay. (transforms into Light)**

**LES: Here we go again...**

**Light: (rushes a Light-Eco-Sage) Light Eco!!!! (Gets LES in bone-crushing embrace) Feels so good...**

**LES: Okay, let me go now... Light... Light?**

**Light: (squeezes harder, there is a distinct snapping sound)**

**LES: Oh God! My spine! Light! Let me go! I need my air!**

**Muse: Wow... no wonder she was scared of Light. She's Light's Light Eco catnip.**

**LES: Let me go!

* * *

**

Jak walked back into the small flat and was almost instantly greeted by Daxter and Keira. His eyes instantly met hers. "Keira, I need you to get some clothes together, about three days worth. We have to go somewhere for a couple of days." He looked down at Daxter. "Dax, go to the Palace, you'll be staying with Sig. And, Dax, don't cause him any trouble. He's got enough crap to deal with being King and all."

"Sure." Daxter said. "But... where are you two going?"

"Yeah, where are we going, Jak?" Keira asked.

"We have to make a run into the deep Wasteland." Jak said. "They discovered some ancient elvin machinery out there. Sig wants me to drive you out there to find out what it is."

"And we'll be gone three days? How far away is this place?" Keira asked.

"A day's drive each way." Jak said. "Don't worry. Sig has assured me that we'll have enough food and water to last a week. And I'll take care of you."

Keira smiled. "I know you will."

"Well, go get packed. We should leave as soon as possible." Jak said. Keira nodded and left to get her things.

After Keira was out of ear-shot, Daxter laughed. "A trip into the deadly Wasteland? Real romantic honeymoon, Jak."

"That's what I told Sig." Jak said. "But, at least I'll be able to spend some quality time alone with her."

Daxter winked boyishly. "A little desert lovin'?"

"Shut up!"

* * *

Some time later, Jak was helping Keira get situated in the large Gila Stomper. (The Slam Dozer was still getting repared after the Catacombs incident.) Keira had never personally been in this sort of vihicle before, and Jak remembered the first time he had driven one. It had been a very strange experience, but now it was as natural as zoomers had ever been.

"Are you sure these things are safe?" Keira asked uncertainly.

Jak frowned slightly, his mind travelling back to the Palace Catacombs where his father had met his end among the ruins of the once great palace that he personally ruled in. "Only if they are not hit by a missile."

Keira looked over at Jak and realized that she had unwittingly reminded him of his father's death. "Oh, Jak, I'm sorry!"

"It's all right." Jak smiled hopefully. "I shouldn't be so touchy about these subjects." He said as he helped Keira get straped in and he hopped into the driver's seat and did the same for himself. "Are you ready?" He asked, handing her a blue scarf to wrap around her face to protect it against the desert sand.

"I suppose." She said, staring at the scarf. She had recognized it instantly. She looked over at Jak with a smile. "This is the scarf I gave you."

Jak smiled back at her. "I remember. You tied it to my arm, the ultimate sign of love and trust."

"And I do love you... and trust you." Keira said. "Let's go." She said as she wrapped the scarf around her face.

Jak pulled up his own red scarf and pulled down the goggles over his eyes so he could see. He started up the engine and drove out into the Wasteland and began to head deeper into the desert.

* * *

Several hours later, Jak looked over at Keira to see how she was doing. "How are you doing?" He asked.

"I'm fine." Keira said, her voice muffled by the scarf that allowed her to breath without coating her mouth and throat in burning sand. There was a long pause between the two as Jak continued to drive. "Jak?"

"What?"

"When we get back to Spargus, let's just do it."

"Do what?"

"Let's get married." Keira said.

Jak didn't reply for several seconds. "I thought you wanted to get married properly, not elope."

"We don't have to elope, but we don't have to wait either. We'll get our friends together, and have a Precursor Monk marry us." Keira said. "I love you, Jak, and we shouldn't have to wait when we are this much in love."

Jak smiled, a smile that Keira couldn't see. "I think that's a great idea." He said. "In my opinion, our wedding can't come soon enough."

"Oh, Jak, really?" Keira asked. She would have embraced her lover and future-husband if he were not driving. Jak noticed this and came to a stop next to a Wasteland river, one of the few. As soon as the vihicle stopped, Keira leaned over and embraced the elf.

Jak laughed. "We're probably half way there. We can stop here for a bit." He jumped out of the vehicle, ran around, and helped Keira out.

She looked over at the river. "Is it freshwater?"

Jak followed her gaze. "Probably. The few rivers in the Wasteland are freshwater. They all drain into the ocean... hours from here."

Keira continued to stare longingly at the river. "Doesn't it look inviting?"

"Sure does." Jak said, and then he trailed off. "Keira, what are you doing?"

Keira had taken off her shoes and had waded into the water up to her ankles, not all that deep. "Just cooling off." She said innocently. "What? Do you want to go swimming or something?"

Jak shook his head. "Keira... rule number one... you never go swimming in your clothes..." He started to take off his armor, followed by his tunic... followed by... well... everything else.

"Pervert." Keira laughed, following Jak's suit and striping down to nothing. Only when Jak was satified with the clothing pile on the shore did he wade into the river towards Keira, briefly submurging as he went. The young she-elf met him in a deeper part of the river, where the water rose to her shoulders, Jak's chest. She laughed, slighly nervous at the situation. "I never thought anyone could convince me to go skinny-dipping in a river in the middle of the desert."

"Hey, don't worry." Jak said, flashing her another one of his heroic smiles. "There's no one here except us."

"I wasn't as concerned about people finding us as getting eaten by a wild animal or something." Keira said.

Jak laughed. "I don't know if there are even any animals this deep in the Wasteland except for Leaper Lizards. And you don't have to worry about Leapers unless you are Daxter's size..."

Keira pressed a finger against Jak's lips to shut him up from talking about Daxter. "Enough about Daxter." Keira said. "He's back in Spargus... we're here."

Jak smiled softly. "You're right. This is our 'early honeymoon' after all." Before Keira could make any reply, Jak kissed her and all her thoughts were washed away by the river. She absolutly loved it when Jak kissed her like this. But their naked bodies pressed agaisnt each other, and the weightless feeling of the water only suceeded in multiplying the elves lust.

Within seconds, hands were roving, exploring their soul-mate's body with practiced ease. It seemed to last forever as the elves pleasured each other.

Quite suddenly, Jak stopped what he was doing and glared around at the surrounding environment. He turned his head swiftly, animal-like, as he scanned his surroundings with his eyes and ears. "Jak? What is it?" Keira knew that this must be a serious situation because Jak usually never let anything interupt their love-making. It came from all the times they had been interupted before. They had to be in danger.

"I heard something..." Jak said, continuing to scan the environment. He stopped scanning and his eyes locked onto some unseen thing in the distance. "We should get out." He had obviously found what he had heard, and it wasn't anything good.

Keira didn't question her lover. Jak put an arm around her and slowly began to move to the shore, almost as if he were afraid to make any sudden movements. "Jak?" Keira asked quietly.

"Be quiet." Jak whispered. "And don't make any sudden movements. Whatever it is, it's a preditor. Preditors are attracted to noise and movement." Keira knew she could trust Jak on that. His mind worked like a preditor, his eyes finding movement, and his ears finding noise.

So, instead of replying, she quietly followed Jak's lead. They made it to the shore and slowly redressed. They moved back to the Gila Stomper, in Keira's opinion, painfully slowly. They both got back in. After hesitating several seconds, Jak turned on the engine, praying that the sound wouldn't bring hell down on them.

Then, hell did fall down on them. A horribly familiar raor split the landscape. A huge monster appeared out of nowhere. It was the same type of monster that Jak had fought in his second arena challenge what seemed ages ago. It wasn't a Metal-Head, but a monsterous desert lizard that stood twenty feet tall, and was twice as long. Without the elvin-made armor that covered the one Jak fought, you could clearly see the acid-green scales that covered it.

"Shit!" Jak swore. He had only one attack that he knew worked against the monster. He had killed the last one by stabbing it through the roof of the mouth. Of course, that meant that he had to be in the mouth... he had almost gotten eaten on that occasion. And any other attack that might work against it took too much time. He didn't have the time or the fire-power to deal with this monster now. He felt someone grab onto his arm just as the monster charged the vehicle. Jak looked over and saw Keira. He was surprised when he saw no fear in her eyes, only sorrow and regret. Time seemed to slow down as he leaned over to her and took his financee into his arms. If they were about to die, they might as well die in each other's arms. Jak felt a single tear making its way down his cheek. "I love you, Keira Hagai." He whispered.

Keira pressed herself closer to Jak's body. "I love you too, Jak Mar." She breathed as the giant desert lizard decended on their vehicle.

Both the lover's last thoughts before the darkness took them was: _Maybe it was never meant to be...

* * *

_

**LES: Can anyone guess which movie inspired this story yet?... No, not 'Finding Nemo.' Oh, and forgive me for the stupid reason to get Jak and Keira both out into the Wasteland. It was necassary.**


	4. Seperation

**Chapter IV: Seperation**

**LES: After the dramatic ending of the last chapter, what is going to happen to our two protaginists?**

**Muse: I think the chapter title gives that away!

* * *

**

The first thing he was aware of was... heat. The next... water... _What?_ The elf thought to himself was he slowly woke up from unconciousness. "What happened?" He found himself asking out loud.

Jak tried hard to remember what had happened, but his memory was fuzzy and coming back to him in bits and pieces. _The Wasteland... something was out in the Wasteland. Keira... the river... the river? A river in the Wasteland? That would explain the heat and the water. Keira and I went swimming in the river? No, we didn't swim. No... we... made love? Was that it? Then why am I unconcious?_

Jak pushed himself off the burning sand with great effort, his entire lower body was submerged in the water. More of his memory was coming back.

_A noise... danger! Had to get out! A giant lizard attacked, then... nothing... nothing at all. _Jak suddenly snapped harshly into reality. He stood up swiftly and almost blacked out again with the swift movement. Once he regianed his balance, Jak looked around at his surroundings. All he saw was the smoldering wreak of the Gila Stomper about ten feet away.

"Keira!" Jak yelled into the desert's heat. He listened carefully for a reply. None came, no reply that he could hear, even with his advanced hearing. Terror gripped his heart. "Keira!" He yelled again. Still, no sound greeted him.

He looked into the water. "Oh no..." What if she fell into the water and sunk? Not even bothing to remove his clothes like last time, Jak dived straight into the water and searched the bottom frantically, almost afriad of what he might find. He found nothing, however, but that brought little comfort. He searched until he ran out of air and he came up, coughing and sputtering.

Jak's emotions were everywhere at once, and nowhere at all. The confused tangle of emotions brought on his Dark transformation. He doubled up briefly as the transformation over took him. However, as soon as he was in his demonic form, Dark Jak resumed his search, running up and down the river bank, searching for any clue that could point to Keira's location.

Dark Jak finally looked around at the over-turned Gila Stomper, and a flashback of that day in the Catacombs hit him full force. Dark Jak felt his heart drop into his stomach.

"Oh God, no!" Dark Jak begged any God that was listening. "Not like this!" He ran over and circled the over-turned vehicle, no sign of Keira, but she could be trapped on the inside. Dark Jak grabbed on to the metal roll cage and tried to turn it back right-side-up. But the vehicle was simply too heavy for Dark Jak to lift. It must've weighed a ton and a half at least. Jak had never succeeded in lifting so much before... a half a ton maybe, but not any more than that.

Dark Jak grit his fanged teeth and tried again, roaring loudly as the vehicle lifted an inch before it dropped back to the earth. The Demon let out a roar of fustration as he fell to his knees and yelled into the wreak. "Keira!"

Dark Jak stood up and backed away from the wreak, looking around frantically, but finding nothing to be of any help. Tears were coming now as the Demon looked around hopelessly. Suddenly, it threw its face to the sky. "KEIRAAAA-AUGH!" The name of his lost beloved turned into a pain-filled roar that would have broken the hearts of any who heard it.

* * *

Several miles away, a young woman sat by a river, waiting for her fiancee to find her. Keira Hagai had woken up much like Jak, confused about what happened, and wondering where she was. She had searched the riverside alone for quite a distance for any sign of Jak, but there were no signs.

Eventually, she gave up and was forced to take residence right where she had woken up, watching the river on its path to the sea. She figured it was the river that had taken her so far away from Jak. She resolved to sit and wait for him. She was confident that he would find her, even if it took a few hours. Still, she was hot and hungry. The river provided her water. It wasn't the best water she had ever tasted, but beggers can't be choosers.

But it made her wonder... what if Jak had not survived that monster's attack? What if she was waiting for a dead man? _No... _she told herself. _Jak was much tougher than that..._ "No." She repeated out loud. "I've given Jak up for dead before, and I'm never doing that again. If only... I could get back to Spargus..."

Suddenly, something laughed. "Ha! Good luck with that, lady!"

Keira stood up instantly. "What? Who's there?" She demanded. The last thing she expected to encounter in the Wasteland was an actual person, besides the Marauders; but Marauders couldn't speak the standard language.

Suddenly, a golden something appeared on a near-by rock. It was a sight she hadn't seen since her days in Sandover... it was a muse. Suddenly, the muse spoke in the standard language. "I said good luck trying to get back to Spargus by yourself. A little lady like you wouldn't last an hour."

Keira stared at the muse. "You... you can talk?"

"Of course I can talk, lady." The muse said. "Don't you know that appearences aren't aways what they seem?"

Keira suddenly understood. "Oh, you fell into some Eco, didn't you?" She asked.

The muse nodded its small furry head, but kept its large black eyes fixed on Keira. "Blue Eco, to be exact." It said. "Yep, fell in as an elf and came out like this. I've been stuck in a muse's body ever since."

"How long have you been a muse?" Keira asked out of curiosity.

"Hmm... coming on ten years now." The muse said, and then it gasped. "Oh Precursors, I've forgotten to introduce myself!" The muse made a funny little bow. "Name's Lebeon." (Pronounced: Leb-e-on) "And what's your name, Miss...?"

Keira smiled to herself. She definately didn't expect to meet a muse with manners out in the desert. "Keira... Hagai." She answered.

"Keira! Lovely name." Lebeon commented. "So... Keira Hagai, may I ask what you are doing here in the deep Wasteland?"

Keira paused before answering. "Well... my fiancee and I..."

"Fiancee?" Lebeon asked. "Getting married? Well, congradulations!"

"Thanks." Keira responded. "We were going to get married once we got back to Spargus." She added sadly. "Anyway, we were sent out of Spargus to investigate some ruins, but we were... attacked. I think I fell into the river and floated down-stream. And he's no where in sight."

"Well, that is a problem. But, instead of walking to Spargus, which will take a week, if you survive, why not just walk up-stream?" Lebeon pointed. "The river doesn't go on forever. We'll find your man eventually. Say... who is your fiancee anyway? He doesn't hate muses, does he?"

"Why would he hate muses?" Keira asked.

Lebeon sighed. "You won't believe how many places has chased me out just because I'm a muse."

"Well, he doesn't hate muses, or transformed elves for that matter. His best friend was changed into an Ottsel. Besides, Jak doesn't..."

Lebeon latched onto Jak's name instantly. "Jak? THE Jak? You're engaged to THE Jak?" He demanded.

"You know Jak?" Keira asked in amazement.

"Never met or seen the man." Lebeon corrected himself. "But stories travel fast. Even the few intelligent residents of the Wasteland know JAK! And I happen across the woman that THE Jak is all set to marry?" He paused, thinking. "Okay, I've made up my mind. I'll help you get back to your financee."

"That's really not neccessary." Keira said. "It's just up-stream... somewhere."

"And miss my chance to meet the legendary Jak?" Lebeon the muse asked. "No way!"

Keira laughed. "Okay, fine."

So they began to head up-stream together.

* * *

**Muse: Is Lebeon... 'avalible'?**

**LES: (facepalm) No.**

**Muse: Does he have any hot muse brothers than?**

**LES: (double facepalm) No!**


	5. She's Gone'

**Chapter V: 'She's Gone'**

**LES: How many times do we have to go over this? Lebeon doesn't have any young family, none of the rest of his remaining family is a muse, and he definately doesn't have any muse brothers!**

**Muse: You have to tell me at least one more time. I wasn't listening.**

**LES: (facepalm)

* * *

**

(Jak)

* * *

After Jak had finished breaking down and had changed back to his normal form, he realized that the only hope he had was to call someone. So he pulled out the old war beacon, pressed the button, and let it drop to the sand.

Jak followed the beacon and dropped to his knees in the sand, willing with all his will power not to break down and cry again.

He remembered, as if from another life-time, he had made a decision... a decision to not be vulnerable. Since then, Keira had helped him rebuild his soul. He realized that Keira was truely gone, and without her to help him... he would become what he used to be... an emotionless bastard... before he died.

He was unsure how much time past, but it didn't seem like very long, before a loud roar interuptted his thoughts. He looked up in confusion and saw that a large Haven transport was landing in front of him. The back opened and, of all people, Torn and Ashelin jumped out of the back. "Hello, Jak." Ashelin said.

"What are you doing here?" Jak asked.

"We were flying over and got a distress call from Spargus. Some of their people were trapped out in the desert." Ashelin said. "When we learned that it was you and Keira, we volenteered to pick you two up and fly you back to Spargus." She looked around. "Where is Keira?"

Jak didn't answer for several seconds. "I... I don't know."

Torn stared at Jak. "What do you mean you don't know?" He demanded.

"I lost her after the attack. I looked... but she's not here." Jak said, suddenly entusiastic. "Quick! We can do a fly-over! We'll cover more desert that way!"

Torn suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Jak, according to the Spargains, you've been out here for a while. No one can survive the desert too long without the proper supplies."

Jak stared. "What are you saying?"

Ashelin stepped forward and touched Jak's arm. He almost recoiled from her touch, for it was not Keira's, but he held still. Jak remember suddenly that Ashelin had told him that she loved him weeks ago. Was she still in love with him? "Jak... there's very little chance that Keira's survived this long and, even if she did, she won't make it back by herself."

"Jak..." Torn said slowly. "She's gone. Let her go."

Jak rounded on him, anger blazing in his eyes. "Let her go?" He demanded. "The only woman I've ever loved? The only woman I can ever care about?"

Torn grabbed onto Jak's shoulders and shook him violently. "Jak! Don't make the mistake of thinking that you're the only one who has lost loved ones!"

"I can't give up on Keira!" Jak hissed. "I won't... can't let her go!"

"If you can't let her go, than you'll never recover from this." Ashelin said.

Jak rounded on Ashelin with even more fury than before. "Shut up! You just want me single again so you can have your way with me!" He walked away from them and picked up something off the ground, the beacon. But something else came up with it. It was Keira's scarf. Jak took it in his hand and stared down at it, and closed his fist over it.

To hope... or not to hope... that was the true question. If Jak had learned anything in his life, it was that it did not do to hope for the impossible because you'd just end up disappointed.

Slowly, Jak opened his fist and let the scarf fall back to the ground. It did not do to hope. Almost instantly, Jak felt a terible pain enter him... and he knew the pain. It was that Precursor soul-mates felt upon finding out of their soul-mate's death... it was grief... a grief so terrible that death was soon to follow.

Without another thought on the topic, Jak turned around and jumped into the transport without a backwards look. Torn hesitated slightly before following and Ashelin followed close behind him.

The door closed and the transport lifted off to go to Spargus. The great irony, however, was that Keira and her muse companion was only ten minutes away.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Keria saw the wreakage of the Gila Stomper. "Jak!" She cried out, running towards the site. She ran into the center of the clearing, but no one was there. "Jak?" She called again, but no one answered.

Lebeon walked into the area on all fours, scanning the area with his pure black eyes. "We didn't miss them by much. Fresh tranport tracks, not ten minutes ago." Then he found the discarded scarf while Keira watched in amazement. Lebeon sniffed it. "Male... about twenty years old... am I right?"

"Unless there was another twenty-year old around." Keira said. "How did you know?"

"There are some perks to being a muse." Lebeon said, scratching himself behind the ear. "And fur is NOT one of them."

"So... what now? We can't use that to get back to Spargus!" She pointed at the wreakage of the Gila Stomper.

"I thought Jak's girlfriend was a mechanic." Lebeon said.

"You expect me to fix a wreak like that with nothing but a spanner? I'm not a miracle-worker. And, even if I had the proper tools, it would take time... too much time... for me to fix it. And, another thing, I haven't ever worked on these vehicles before... I've only worked on zoomers and Precursor technology."

"Great." Lebeon said. "Spargus is a long way from here on foot." He sighed. "Well... I suppose it's a possible trip."

"What?" Keira asked. "Even Mar couldn't..."

"I said possible, not easy." Lebeon said. "If we take some food from the wreak and utilize the Wasteland resources, we might be able to make it across the desert and back to Spargus. Do you think you can do it?" He asked the she-elf.

Keira picked up the scarf that she had given Jak weeks ago. She was slightly hurt that he had left her there, but she knew that the things that Jak lived through had given him a fear of hope.

She looked up at Lebeon. "Yes."

* * *

The transport ride back to Spargus was extremely uncomfortable. Jak sat off by himself, not saying a word, and staring into space as if trying to see something that wasn't there.

Torn didn't dare try to speak or comfort Jak. The Dark Elf had once come very close to killing him when Erol had kidnapped Keira. Torn didn't have any desire to repeat the experience.

Ashelin also kept her thoughts to herself, as they would seem extremely insensitive at the time. Over the last year, she had grown to love the elf, but he was in love with Keira. But now that Keira was out of the picture and Jak was single again, Ashelin felt that she had a chance. But she knew when she looked into Jak's hollow, dead eyes, that he was't ready to have women coming after him so soon after Keira's disappearence... maybe death.

Thankfully, the trip in the transport didn't take nearly as long as it had taken for Jak in the Gila Stomper, because the transport could flew effortlessly over mountain ranges that Jak had to drive around. So it was within an hour that the transport landed at the gates of Spargus.

Torn and Ashelin walked out of the transport, but Jak didn't move. He didn't even seem to notice they were back at Spargus. Torn looked back at him, feeling a rare ounce of pity for the elf. "You can't wallow in self-pity forever." He said.

The words seemed to reach Jak and he stood up, walked out into the sun and moved towards Spargus like a zombie. The two Haveners exchanged looks as they followed Jak into the City.

Daxter, who was waiting for them inside the City, greeted the mourning elf. "Jak! I heard you ran into trouble..." He trailed off when he saw the dead look on Jak's face. It reminded Daxter of how Jak was after his escape from prison, only it was worse... much worse. "Something's happened..." Daxter looked around when Torn and Ashelin entered. "Hey! Where's Keira?"

Jak met Daxter's eyes for only a split second, but Daxter read the storm of emotions on Jak's face. Daxter understood instantly. "Keira's gone?" He asked.

Jak didn't answer, he only walked away without a word. Torn spoke for Jak. "We found him out in the desert alone. We... we couldn't find Keira's body."

Ashelin took over. "There's almost no chance she's survived this long. Jak... he's taken it very hard."

Daxter glared at Ashelin. "You stay away from him!" He growled as he left to follow Jak. Daxter followed Jak all the way to his house and found the young elf in his room, on his bed, and working with all his might not to break down in pure agony.

"It's all my fault." Jak moaned.

"Jak...?"

The mourning elf glared up at the Ottsel. "Go away!" He hissed.

"No, Jak." Daxter refused. "You've just lost the woman you love... your soul-mate. Of course you'll be upset. And I've just lost a... a friend too. Besides, you shouldn't suffer alone."

"I've always suffered alone." Jak hissed.

"You shouldn't try to get over this alone!" Daxter urged. "It will only destroy you. You've already lost so many people you were close too, but now Keira... You need help to get through this..."

"Long ago..." Jak paused. "I would push Keira off me because I was a dead man. I wanted to save her from the pain of loss. But now... I'm the one feeling that pain." Jak put a hand over his chest, like a physical pain tormented him there. "I want her back, Dax."

"I know you want her back. It hurts me too." Daxter said, tears beginning to form at the corners of his eyes, a mixture of his own pain at the loss of a childhood friend, but also watching his friend's misery. "It won't hurt that badly forever."

"What do you know? Do you understand nothing of my pain?" Jak demanded. "I want to be with her so badly... and there is a way..." In a flash, a dagger was conjured and he held the Dark point just above his heart.

Daxter realized a second later than Jak wanted to kill himself. "No!" He jumped over and tried to pull the dagger away from Jak's chest. "You idiot! You can't kill yourself! What would Keira think if she saw you like this?"

This seemed to break through Jak's madness. He let out a cry and dropped the dagger, which disappeared in a flash of purple light. "She can't be gone! I can't forget about her! I love her! I love her!" Jak cried out in dispair. "I won't let her go!" He glared into thin air. His madness had returned, but this time, this rage was not directed at himself, but at something else. "There was nothing there! Not even a body! She must be alive... The Marauders. They must've taken her from me!" Jak stood up and roared at the ceiling. "I'll kill them! I'll kill every last one of them to get Keira back!"

* * *

So that was how, some time later, Jak ended up in the Wasteland again, looking down on the near-impeneratrable Marauder fort. A vengeful fire was in his eyes. Jak thought of nothing except killing every Marauder until they gave him back his soul-mate.

Jak's frown deepened, deciding that the only way into the fort unnoticed was to scale the wooden walls of the fort. Then he moved, as quietly and quickly as a shadow, the elf made his way to the outer wall of the fort. No alarm was raised, so his approach had gone unnoticed so far.

With a surpressed groan, Jak allowed his Dark transformation to over take him. Once he was done, he dug his claws into the wood and began to scale the high walls. It would have been easier to take on his Light form and fly over the wall, but he would lose the element of surprise if he shown like a beacon. Every Marauder in the fort would see the glow, so he had to make due with his claws.

Finally, he made it to the top, and vaulted over and landed on the ground below noiselessly. He was surrounded by five Marauder warriors. He Channeled some Dark Eco in his hands and touched the men, who died instantly. They probably didn't even know what force tore the life from their bodies.

As soon as these men were dead, Dark Jak began to move through the fort, checking behind any doors. Most rooms contained nothing, but some contained men and women, and even children. But Dark Jak didn't care, he slaughered them all, some more violently than others.

The Marauders aren't stupid, dispite popular Spargain belief. They soon caught on that there was a killer in their midst. They rallied into a frenzy, shouting things in their own strange language. But, while the words were different, the meaning couldn't have been clearer. There was a silent killer in their fort, and they were afraid.

Dark Jak listened to their yells from the shadows. Their language, everything about them, disgusted him to no ends. In his madness, the Marauders had stolen Keira, or her body, form him. He decided that no amount of suffering could ever make up for what they did. He reached into his clothes and pulled out a small cyrstal, a Dark Eco crystal. Dark Jak grinned as the Dark Power filled his body.

* * *

Back in Spargus, Daxter sat on Jak's bed, waiting semi-patiently for his friend's return. Jak had left soon after his madness over took him, only pausing to tell Daxter to tell no one where he went, and had slipped out of the house unnoticed.

Suddenly, the door opened and Torn and Ashelin stormed in. "Where the hell is Jak?" Torn demanded. "We've just called Samos, he's on his way here now!"

Daxter sighed, and betrayed Jak's trust. "Oh, he's got it in his head that the Marauders are at fault for Keira's death, so he's gone to the Marauder fort with the vow to kill them all."

"What?" Torn demanded, and then he sighed. "Not again!" This was the 'Palace Incident' all over again.

* * *

Only twice had Jak felt what it was like to channel the pure power of Dark Eco, and it still hurt him like hell. Dark Jak bit his lip to stop a pain-filled roar... he bit down until he bled. Just as before, Dark, unnatural storm clouds filled the sky. The Marauders, a superstisious people, began to cry out things along the lines that the Gods were punishing them for different sins.

Finally, Jak couldn't contain his pain any longer, and he let out a loud roar as the power lifted him off the ground and into plain view of the Marauders. The Marauders saw him and began to scream out many discribtive words that merely boiled down to 'It's a demon!' Several of the braver Marauders tried to attack the demon, but Dark Jak was surrounded by a field of Dark Eco and those who touched it died instantly.

The rest tried to cower from the demon's wrath, but it would prove to be a futile effort. Dark Jak let out another roar as Dark Eco lightning shot down from the sky, instantly vaporizing everyone it hit.

A great malestorm followed until the Dark Lightning was thick in the air. Ten seconds... Twenty seconds... Thirty seconds... the attack lasted much longer than Jak had ever used it before. It did not stop until every Marauder in the fort was dead. He finally let the power release itself and he fell to the ground, changing back to his normal form with a groan. It was the longest he had ever sustained that attack. Tiatin had warned him that the attack would destroy him if he used it too long.

He coughed and tasted copper in his mouth. He spat on the ground... it was blood. His hands trembled slightly as he looked into a rusted piece of metal that wasn't far away, it was just in good enough condition for him to see his reflection. Blood was pouring out of his face, out of any opening avalible. His mouth, his ears, his nose, and even his tear ducts all ran blood.

He reached up and wiped some of the blood out from under his eyes. "Tears of blood." Jak breathed, staring that the red blood that covered his fingers. "I have... reached the ultimate suffering..." He saw the blackness gathering at the corners of his eyes. "Keira... where are you?" With no strength left in his body, Jak passed out on the ground.

* * *

Some time later, Jak regain conciousness, slightly surprised that he was still alive. He thought he would die that time for sure and, failing that, he'd get run through on the blade of a Marauder returning from patrol.

Jak opened his eyes slowly and groaned. Suddenly, he heard the noise of someone's yells. He opened his eyes fully and saw the feet of a Marauder right next to him. The Marauder had obviously thought he was dead. In a flash, Jak conjured a Light Sword and cut through the first thing he could reach, the Marauder's legs.

The Marauder cried out in dismay as he fell to the ground, staring that the bloody stumps that used to be his feet. The sword flashed again and the Marauder's head parted company with his body and fell to the ground.

The sword disappeared and Jak got up, groaning. The blood on his face had long since dried, but he made no move to wipe it off. He put a hand against the wall for support and he continued to explore the fort, looking for Keira.

Half an hour later, and Jak had found no sign of her, and he was forced to accept the fact that the Marauders had nothing to do with Keira's disappearence. The lizard had killed her... or the desert. Either way, she was dead... and he would never see her again.

Denial and anger filled the elf, but he could not afford to break down. Instead, Jak decided to complete his revenge. He grabbed an old-fashioned torch off the wall, an oil-fueled torch, but it served his needs perfectly. Jak dropped it on the ground and the oil soaked the wood, causing it to catch fire. Jak turned around and hurried away from the scene, knocking more torches to the ground as he went.

Fianlly, when he was satisfied with his work, Jak let his Light transformation take over. Almost as soon as he possessed his large, feathery wings, Jak took to the air and left the Marauder fort to burn in the fires of his rage.

* * *

Back in Spargus, Daxter watched the smoke rise in the direction of the Marauder fort. He could only imagine what sort of torture Jak was inflecting on them to get his revenge.

Samos had arrived in Spargus some time ago and had been told the news of his daughter's death. Daxter had to leave the room at the Sage's complete sorrow. Any other time he was within ear-shot of Samos, he would have poked fun mercilessly. But Daxter couldn't bare to crack jokes. Not with a good friend dead and his best friend had gone mad with grief.

And speaking of best friend... Daxter heard something land on the roof. He looked up, curious, and went to investigate. It was Jak in his Light form, but Daxter gasped at the sight of him. Being in his Light form only made the dried blood that covered his face stand out all the more. At first, Daxter thought it might be Marauder blood, but Daxter knew in his heart that he was lying to himself. It was Jak's own blood.

"I... I couldn't find her." Light Jak said slowly.

"You've got blood all over you." Daxter said.

"Who cares?" Light Jak asked hopelessly.

"Jak, there's something you should know..." Daxter paused. "Samos is here."

Light Jak dreaded meeting his almost father-in-law under the circumstances, but he knew he had to face Samos eventually. So, without changing back to his normal form, he moved into the house, keeping his large wings folded against his body so they didn't hit anything.

Everyone in the room, which included Ashelin, Torn, and Samos, seemed more than a little surprised when a bloodied angel came solumely into the room. "Jak?" Torn and Ashelin asked uncertainly.

Light Jak's glowing eyes fell on Samos and he gulped. Samos was never the type to express sorrow, and he tended to do what Jak did... to keep it on the inside. Samos sat quietly in a corner. Those who did not know Samos would accuse him of not being sad, but Jak knew that Samos was suffering from a sorrow too great for words... a sorrow like his own.

Light Jak approached the old sage and fell to his knees before him. Everyone stared at this act. "I'm sorry, Samos." Light Jak said, and he meant it... with all his heart. "When you gave me premission to marry your daughter, you were giving me the resposiblitly of protecting her... and I failed. I failed her and I failed you... I'm so sorry, Samos."

Samos didn't say anything for several seconds. "Don't be sorry, Jak. There was nothing any of us could have done." He said slowly. "We both lost someone close to us... my daughter, and your bride-to-be. But I don't think that Keira would want us to mourn and dwell in the past forever."

"But... the only place Keira is now is in the past." Light Jak said.

"It... will be hard... especially for you... you were her soul-mate... you know what that means." Light Jak hung his head, and his wings hung loosely to the ground. Everything about the majestic angel was soaked in sorrow. "Death is... a natural part of life... as natural as birth."

"I know." Light Jak said sorrowfuly.

* * *

**LES: If the right side of your body is controlled by the left side of your brain, then only left-handed people are in their right minds.**

**Muse: This coming from a right-handed person.**

**LES: Hey, I thought it was funny as heck!**

**Muse: Besides, I don't think this is the place for jokes.**

**LES: Oh, that's right... too much dramatic irony. You all know that Keira is alive, but Jak doesn't. Haha!**

**Muse: Stop laughing!**

**LES: Since when do you care?**

**Muse: Since you started acting like an idiot.**


	6. To Survive

**Chapter VI: To Survive**

**LES: This story is not quite as epic as its predicessors, but it's good in its own right. Now, if you will recall, the longest that Jak ever survived out in the Wasteland, even with his superhuman gifts, was several hours. Could Keira possibly surpass that feat?

* * *

**

Keira and Lebeon spent the next half an hour trying to scrounge up the supplies that she and Jak had been sent out into the desert with. Some of the food was ruined beyond use, but some of it was still okay. Thankfully, most of the water supply had been saved. Lebeon, uncovered what seemed to be a large canvass-like blanket.

"Here, we'll need this." He said. Keira came over and finished uncovering it.

"Why would we need a blanket in the desert?" Keira asked. "Isn't it too hot?"

"No, it's not for warmth." Lebeon said. "This is the only material that will protect you from the sandstorms. If a sandstorm comes, you can find a cave and cover the mouth with it."

"What happens if we get buried?" Keira asked, a legitimate concern.

Lebeon sighed. "Just pray that we don't get buried." He said. He looked at the water supply. "Water will be the most important thing to carry. You can find food in the Wasteland if you know where to look, so we should carry as much water as possible." He looked off into the distance. "Now, we should stay as close to the mountains as possible." He pointed to a near-by mountain range. "It will lead us right to Spargus."

"Sounds like a plan." Keira said. "How long do you think it will take us to get there?"

"A week. Maybe less if we hurry and we're lucky." Lebeon said. "You also have to consider if we will live or not."

Keira wasn't listening to Lebeon's last sentence, she went back over to where Lebeon had found her scarf. The very same one that she once tied lovingly around Jak's arm to show her love and support for him. She held it close to her chest, her heart, and remembered the wonderous connection that bound them together... the same thing that binds husband and wife, and lovers. That connection was love.

Her mind suddenly traveled back to better times, times that she had spent with the man she loved. Her mind especially focused on 'that night' which seemed so long ago when their hearts and bodies first became one.

She could still remember the feeling of Jak's bare and toned body against hers, how his merest touch caused her heart to flutter with love and joy. But, most of all, she remembered the secret words of everlasting love that he had spoken to her throughout the night. She would never forget their first time together. She laughed to herself as she remembered just how nervous she had been just before and for the first few mintues of their joining. They had both been virgins, and therefore inexperienced in the act of making love. She remembered things that made them both want to die of embarrassment, and just how strange it was to be having sex with someone, all the while thinking... _I've known this man since childhood. This man was like a brother to me._ Still, it was an experience that she'd never forget, and one that she would treasure forever.

Not that Jak was a bad lover now, by any means, or that the sex had gotten boring... it's just that nothing could ever compare to the first time. She laughed quietly again as she remembered the last few times they had made love over the last few weeks. Those had been strange experiences too, but in a different way. He was an excellent lover, but Jak could be a bit... well... dominating in bed. (Meaning he liked to be on top.) Keira chalked it up to what happened to him in prison and how he lost some of his human traits, reverting back to animalistic traits: a tendency to dominate, his aggression, and his slight territorial tendency.

After hearing that, you'd think that he'd be just as privitive in bed; but dominance was the only purely male triat he displayed. He was a very tender lover.

She couldn't stop from laughing out loud as she remembered how, during their first time, Jak had been so scared that he had hurt her when she cried out in pleasure. It was something he didn't like her laughing at, but he wasn't there to tell her off for laughing at his expence.

She loved Jak, she loved him with all her heart; there was no doubt in her mind that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. She looked at the scarf again, and she vowed silently to herself that she would get back to Spargus alive, no matter what it took, and when she got back, she'd drag Jak to a temple so they could get married. Hell, they were already half-married, for they had been married by Precursor standards. It would be easy to go the other half, for elvin ceremonies are not that complicated.

Lebeon laughed to see his new friend so deep in thought, off in her own little world. "That scarf has a lot of sentimental value, huh?" He asked.

Keira looked down at the scarf and smiled. "Yes, it does." She quickly tied it around her wrist. She prayed silently for the strength and deturnmination that her financee possessed. She looked down at Lebeon. "Okay, I'm ready. Let's go." So they began the long trek back to Spargus.

* * *

Back in Spargus, Jak was in pain.

He knew pain, his particular line of work had put him through a lot of pain. He had been tortured, shot, stabbed, electrocuted, scwered, and even eaten once or twice. But he rarely had felt emotional pain like the pain he was feeling now.

Keira's death had hurt Jak terribly, and had ripped apart the very fabric of his soul. Ever since prison, Jak's friends had been carefully trying to rebuild his soul, carefully stitching it back together until he was elvin again. However, it was Keira's love that had held the stitches together. And now that she was gone, the fragile stitches were violently ripped apart. This mangled his soul even beyond what had happened to him in prison.

He was a complete wreak, totally bypassing 'evil bastard' stage that he used to be at. He had reached the lowest possible ebb that one could go. He became a shell... He didn't eat or speak to anyone, and spent his time away from everyone else, locked in a fantasy world where Keira was still alive. Even Daxter couldn't get Jak to respond was is commonly refered to as 'real life'.

"Come on, buddy. Just say something... anything at all!" Daxter would beg a motionless Jak. "Just one word?"

"..."

"Don't pretend to be mute! I know you can talk!"

"..." Jak wasn't even looking at him, like he had gone deaf too.

Daxter paused and stared at his friend. "Jak, I know you can hear me in there... how could you not when you've heard so many things that others can't?" Jak blinked. Daxter took that as a sign that Jak heard him. "I don't know if I'll ever understand the pain you're feeling, so I don't know if I can help you. I've always said whatever came to mind, whether it was approarate or not. But when I see you like this... I don't know what to say. I can only pray that someone else will know what to say."

Suddenly, to Daxter's amazement, Jak acutally spoke... only three words. "Don't say anything." But his body language spoke paragraphs. Daxter read that Jak knew that no one could know what he was going through with the loss of his soul-mate, and he didn't want them to try and understand. Nor did he want people to pretend that they felt sorry for him. He knew that Daxter and Samos felt truely sorrow for his loss, but no one else could possibly even come close to understanding.

Then he slipped back into his silence... into his memories. His memories gave him a small amount of comfort because SHE was there. She was smiling at him, telling him that she loved him, and that she accepted him just the way he was.

He was unsure if he would ever be able to move on from Keira's death. Everything he knew about soul-mate relationships told him 'no'. So he did the only thing that could bring him any comfort... remembering the good times he had with Keira.

He especially remembered the numerous times they had made love. He would make himself remember the taste of Keira's skin and the feeling of her soft, yielding body under his forever. He also remembered how trusting she had been when they joined on a physical level for the first time.

They had both entered Keira's room virgins and in love. They had left that room as lovers and they were completely, totally, out-of-their-minds, head-over-heels in love with each other.

Jak would never be able to forget Keira or the love they shared... never. She was the first girl he had a crush on, his first love, his first lover, and his finacee... it wasn't possible for him to forget her.

For the millionth time, he wondered how he was going to live without Keira's love. She was his life... she had saved him from death more times then she knew. Jak felt tears run down his face, but he made no effort to stem the flow. He could almost feel her touch, but that was just a memory. He would never feel anything besides memories again.

Daxter's small heart was tearing in two at his friend's silent misery. He now understood why Jak wanted to kill himself, what drove him to suddenly become an active Deathseeker. Keira was much more than just the woman he loved... she was Jak's entire world, his life... the greatest thrill Jak ever got was making her smile. Now something that was of such vital importance had been ripped away from him. It was as if someone ripped out his heart.

And Daxter couldn't help thinking that if Jak tried to take his own life again... he would be unable to stop him and prolong his suffering.

Then Jak heard the sound of light footsteps coming up the hall, footsteps that belonged to a woman. Jak looked up at the door, hardly daring to believe... but his face fell when he saw who it really was.

He looked down at his feet. "Hello, Mother." He said softly.

It was, indeed, Anastasia Mar, Jak's birth-mother. But seeing his mother standing in the doorway was just another stab wound to his heart, because it had been Keira who reunited long-lost mother and son.

They had only known of this relationship for a few weeks, so Jak still found it weird to call someone 'mother' and to be called 'son' in return. And Anastasia felt the same way, even more so than Jak. In her mind, her son should only be seven. But that boy was five hundred years in the past, and Jak was the product of that strange time paradox. She was upset that she had effectively missed her son growing up. Nothing can compare to losing your son as a toddler then finding him four years later as a fully-grown elf all set to marry his sweetheart. It seemed impossible, but it had happened to her.

She had heard about Keira's death. Anastasia was effected by her death too, for she took Keira in almost three years ago off the streets of Haven. Keira sort of became a replacement for her lost son. And she was the very first person to, in earnest, encourage Keira to persue her love for Jak. She was deeply connected to both Jak, Keira, and their relationship.

Daxter wisely decided to leave, realizing that this was to be a mother/son moment.

Anastasia moved over to her son, sat down next to him, and embraced him. Jak suddenly cried out in pain and returned the embrace. His mother merely let Jak hold on to her, for if anyone could come close to understanding how Jak felt, it would be his mother.

Tears ran down Anastasia's face and when she spoke, her voice was laced with sorrow and pain. "I know its hard." She whispered in the same soothing voice she had used to calm Jak down as an infant. "After your father disappeared and people said he died at the Metal-Head Nest... I didn't know what to do." She paused, her voice filled with raw emotion. "I thought I would surely die, for I could not imagine a life without Damas loving me. I think that you were the only thing that kept me from giving up on life. I knew that, if I were to leave, you would be alone... an orphin. And, even though I loved Damas with all my heart and longed to follow him in death, I knew that a piece of him still lived on in his son... in you."

Jak stopped sobbing onto his mother's shoulder and pulled out of her embrace, his face a mask of misery. "I can't do what you did. Keira's left me no children to cling to."

"I know... I know." Anastasia said. "After Damas left, you were all I had. And then you were kidnapped..." Anastasia felt more tears rise in her eyes. "Whatever wounds you healed in my heart reopened with many more besides. Inside a few months, I had lost my husband and my son. I wanted to die, and this time... I had no one to stop me..." Anastasia paused thoughtfully. "Except for one man..."

"What man?" Jak asked, confused.

"A guard loyal to the royal family." Anastasia noticed the suspicious look Jak was giving her. "No, I wasn't having an affair with him... Damas is the only man I have ever truely loved. I ordered him to shoot me, and to end my life."

"But... you're still alive." Jak pointed out.

"Yes." Anastasia said. "The Royal Guard of Haven City had been trained to obey any order without question, so I should have been dead. However, this guard questioned my order and said that he refused to shoot his Queen. I ordered him again to end my life, but he told me something that kept me going those long years I spent in the slums: 'There's no point to life ended needlessly. If I kill you, then the memory of King Damas and Prince Mar go with you. As long as a piece of that love remains, our loved ones will never truely die. Love is eturnal, and though the physical body dies, love lasts forever'."

"Seems a bit philisophical for a soldier." Jak commented. "But I see what he's saying. So, basically, as long as I'm alive, some part of Keira will still survive."

"Love can break all boundaries, even death." Anastasia mused to herself. "That thought was the one thing that kept me going in the Slums. Now, that does not mean that I forgot about you or Damas, just the oppisite... I remembered you... and when things got really bad, I remembered that I had to live and move on for Damas... for you." She paused. "It is a shame that you didn't have any children, though. That would have made things easier to have a piece of Keira left."

"It is a shame..." Jak mused, and then he trailed off. And, for the first time since the river in the Wasteland, he gave a small smile. "Or do you just want grandchildren?"

"What?"

"I may be new to this whole 'mother' thing, but I understand that what most parents want when their children grow up is for them to have children of their own." Jak said. "You want to be 'Grandma Anastasia', don't you?"

"You are only seven years old!" Anastasia scollded mockingly. "You are much too young to be thinking of children!"

"I think you'd better check your calander again, Mother, because I'm twenty." Jak said.

What followed was a long debate about Jak's true age. Anastasia kept pointing out that only seven years had passed since she gave birth to him. "And don't think I don't remember the day you were born!" Anastasia said. "I remember that day well. All mothers remember the day they were in labor for hours. And you were particually difficult; subborn, just like your father, even at birth..."

"Please, Mother, no stories." Jak said. "I think you're missing the ten years I spent in the past. You just want me to be a little boy again!"

"Is that a crime?" Anastasia asked.

* * *

**LES: Oh, I totally sempatize with Jak on the whole 'story' thing. Every year on my birthday, my mother pins me down and launches into a long, graphic story of the day I was born. The first time I heard that story was the moment I decided to never have kids. The 'mother/son' scene is dedicated to my mother for embarrassing me every chance she got, for hounding me to start writting original stories, and for giving me blank looks when I try to explain Jak and Daxter (or videogames in general). (Holds up glass filled with Dr. Pepper) Here's to you, Mom!**


	7. The Wrong Way To Grieve

**Chapter VII: The Wrong Way To Grieve**

**LES: The one thing that seems to be common in all videogames is that when one-half of a couple dies, the still living one dies from pure grief. I call this the 'love-bird-left-behind' syndrome.

* * *

**

It was not only Jak who had been affected by Keira's death, Samos was also terribly shaken. She was his only daughter, after all. Keira was a vital part of Samos' life, the only piece he had of her mother, who had been unable to survive the horrors of childbirth.

Daxter was also terribly upset by Keira's death. He, Jak, and Keira had been really good friends ever since Jak, Keira, and Samos had shown up in Sandover what seemed ages ago, when they were all still young and carefree. There was no doubt that Daxter and Keria were friends even though Daxter flirted with her constantly and Keira had to blow him off even more... they cared about each other as friends. Jak, the mute adventurous boy, Daxter, the obnoxious joker, and Keira, the tomboy... they were an unstoppable trio of friends, and now... the trio was down to only two.

But Samos had another reason to be concerned. He was worried, worried about Jak... worried that the 'group' would lose one more...

Samos and Daxter sat calmly in Jak's living room while Anastasia was in his room trying to comfort him the only way a mother knew how, a woman who had gone through an almost similar experience.

"I hope... I hope that Anastasia can help Jak." Daxter said absent-mindedly.

Samos sighed hopelessly. "I'm not sure if anyone can help Jak now." He said. "Anastasia went through a similar experience, but Jak's loss is completely different from her own for one reason..."

Daxter stared. "And what reason is that?"

"Jak's Channeling abilities, the abilities that connect him to the Precursors. The Precursor, Tiatin I think his name was, said that Jak and my daughter were soul-mates, Precursor-like soul-mates." Samos said. Daxter continued to stare, completely lost. "Did you ever listen to any of my lessons?"

"Not if I could help it." Daxter said. "Now, what about Jak and Keira being soul-mates and all?"

Samos sighed. "I'm sure you know at least that Precursors did not practice marriage as we think of it, but they had soul-mates. Every Precursor that was ever born had a soul-mate, and they only had to find them. And, when they did, they knew instantly. Age is no matter, for soul-mates, your soul-mate is your soul-mate, no matter what."

"I already know all this stuff, Grandpa Green." Daxter said. "So they are experiencing Precursor love... so what?"

"Yes, but soul-mates experience something much deeper than love." Samos said. "Due to whatever magic there is in Precursor blood, soul-mates are just that... a complete joining of two souls into one. Didn't you realize that Jak and Keira shared a special relationship... even as children?"

"You mean the fact they were like brother and sister?" Daxter asked.

"Yes. I think that, since Jak is the only known Level Five Channeler since Mar himself, he has many triats of the Precursors that Level Three and Level Four Channelers don't have. I think he lacked the prohibition of young age in the matter of love."

"Are you suggesting that Jak was in love with Keira when he was six?" Daxter demanded.

"Age is no matter." Samos said. "Jak didn't realize what he felt for my daughter was love, so he assumed that he cared for her as a brother would a sister."

"That's great, but how does that affect Jak now?"

"Don't you realize that, from the moment they met, they were not whole anymore?" Samos asked. "Jak is only a half, as is Keira. It is only when they are together that they are whole. Soul-mates have a huge dependancy on the very existance of their soul-mate. Can you even imagine how it must feel to lose part of your soul, because that was what Keira was to Jak! With Precursors, it wasn't uncommon for soul-mates to die together. As soon as one died, the other would grieve to death within a few days, simply unable to accept the fact that the one they cared about more than anything is simply not there anymore."

"Are you saying... Jak could die... from grief?" Daxter demanded.

"Unless he learns to live as a half, Jak will die." Samos said sadly.

"How come he isn't dead now, then?" Daxter asked.

"I suspect he still has the elvin ability to move on from death." Samos said. "That's why he isn't dead now. Believe me when I say I don't want Jak to die. He was like the son I never had and, even though he's a far cry from the boy I raised in Sandover, he's still like a son to me."

"Jak's not going to die!" Daxter said stubbornly. "He's survived so much already! He's not going to die from simple grief!"

"The Precursors themselves called the loss of a soul-mate the surest way to die." Samos pointed out sadly.

"So... what do we do?" Daxter asked.

"We try to help Jak get over his dependancy on Keira. It is the only chance of survival he has." Samos said.

* * *

Some time later, Jak sat quietly in his own room, alone. He felt sick to his stomach, a constant ache since he had lost Keira.

Unlike Daxter, Jak knew just how dependent he was on Keira. He knew that if he could not move on, he would die, without question. But, no matter how many times he told himself that Keira was dead and that he had to move on, he couldn't. She was a part of him and he was a part of her. When she died, she had taken back a part of their soul that belonged to her, leaving Jak only a partical soul, one that was imcomplete and flawed.

He felt more grief tear through him and he supressed a sob. Even thinking about Keira was painful now, and it would be that pain that would kill him, he knew it.

"Ironic." Jak said to himself. "Loving Keira completed my life, and now that same love will be the end of me."

But he couldn't regret falling in love with her, it was impossible for anyone to truely regret falling in love, especially when he remembered all the good times they shared, all the good times they would have shared... only if things had worked out better... they would have gotten married and perhaps started a family in a few years.

Just the thought of having a life with Keira was painful. His mind drifted back to what seemed eons ago, back to the Metal-Head Nest, before he had killed Metal-Kor. "Better to die almost painlessly now than to suffer. Soon, you'll wish you were dead..." Metal-Kor's voice rang through his memory. He was right. At times during the War of the Champions, he just wished to die... and now he longed for death to take him.

He got up with the thought of going somewhere where he could be alone, somewhere where he could just think and straighten out his thoughts. Without a word to anyone, and hoping that no one would notice him leaving, Jak went to the window to avoid running into Samos and Daxter in the living room. Once he was clear of the house, he began to move through the Spargain streets as inconspicuolously as possible. Unfortuanatly, that wasn't good enough.

A familiar voice hailed him. "Jak! Hey, Jak!"

Jak looked around and saw who it was... Sig. Other people bowwed out of repect for their newest King, but not Jak. He was simply too depressed to be respectful to anyone right now. "Sig? What are you doing here?"

"I just..." Sig paused as he walked up to the elf. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry about all this. I was the one who sent you two out into the Wasteland."

Jak frowned. "Don't even pretend that you're sorry for me." He hissed.

"Pretend?" Sig asked. "No, I really am sorry. We know how much Keira meant to you..."

"Stop it, Sig!" Jak hissed. "I don't want your pity, and I don't need it! No one can possibly know how I'm feeling right now! What? Have you ever loved someone so much that you'd literally curl up and die if they are taken from you?" Jak paused, waiting for Sig's answer. It didn't come, the Elvin King merely looked away from the young elf. Jak snorted. "See? So don't you dare pretend that you know how I'm feeling!"

Sig sighed, deciding to steer the subject off it's current direction. "If... if you need a few days... I can give that to you..."

Jak glared at the Elvin King and then spun around on his heel and stormed off.

Sig watched the elf storm away. "You're not the only person who has ever lost the people you care about." The King said quietly.

* * *

There was only one place that Jak knew about where he could be alone... out in the Wasteland. He could last longer than Haveners and most Spargains out in the heat of the desert. No one in their right minds would try to out-last the elf in the desert. After a quick check to see if any sandstorms were on the way, there weren't any, Jak moved on foot out into the reassuring heat of the desert. He wasn't even sure why he was there, or how long he intended to stay out there, this could well be another suicide attempt.

He moved over the plains until his feet carried him automatically to the very place where he had fought and killed Erol in the last battle to the death during the War of the Champions. It was kind of hard to miss the spot because of the wreakage of the huge Dark Maker Beast. Jak walked up to it and placed a hand on its Dark Eco skin. He had nearly died trying to destroy it and Erol.

Jak felt a new wave of pain and madness overtake him, crying to be released in a violent rage; and the wreakage of his former enemy was just as good a target to focus his rage on as anything. Suddenly, two large Light Eco swords materialized in his grip and he began to slash and hack at the armored skin of the Dark Maker Beast. The double blades cut through the armor easily and he contintued to attack the dead Beast.

He kept striking and he didn't stop until his arms were burning. Then he slammed the twin blades into the Beast's body and fell to his knees, his anger spent, and his rage was replaced by grief. He felt silent tears run down his face, which didn't surprise him in the least.

And then, much to his annoyance, his sensitive hearing caught the sound of someone approaching him from behind. The elf let out a low growl and got up, turning around to tell whoever it was to go away. But he stopped when he saw who it was... it was Ashelin.

Jak stared at her. The very last thing he wanted right now was to be alone with her, but he couldn't quite find the words to tell her to go away. So he simply turned away from her. All of his body language said 'go away', but Ashelin either missed the non-verbal warning, or was ignoring it.

She walked over to him until she was right behind him. They stood in silence for several seconds before Jak finally found his voice. "If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone." He said, not too nicely.

Ashelin didn't respond for several seconds. "You cant live like this forever." She said.

"You don't think I know that?" Jak asked. "I know that I'm going to die... not from Eco Poisoning or at the hands of my enemies... I'm going to die from a broken heart."

"You don't have to, you know." Ashelin said. "You don't have to be hung up on Keira forever."

Jak felt his anger rise again. "When have you ever lost someone that you love? Go away, Ashelin, and don't try to comfort me until you've lost someone who is so precious to you that you just... can't go on... knowing that you'll never see that person again... knowing that you'll never be able to love or feel love again."

"But I do know how that feels." Ashelin said softly. "I felt that way weeks ago when the man I loved told me 'no, we can't have a relationship because I love someone else'."

Jak sighed. "What I felt for Keira was more than love. Keira and I were soul-mates. She was as much a part of me as I was a part of her." He dug his fingernails into the palm of his hands until he drew blood. "And now she's gone." He looked down at the cuts in his palms. He could heal them easily if he wanted to, but he didn't. The physical pain took his mind off his emotional pain. "She's gone... and left me nothing but a shell."

"I don't think you're just a shell." Ashelin said, moving closer to the elf.

Jak glared at her. He felt vaguely like a cornered animal, trapped. "Go away now." He ordered. But she stood her ground. Jak took more direct action and started to walk away. But Ashelin grabbed his arm and whip-lashed him around. In the split-second when Jak was surprised by her forward movement, she pressed her lips against Jak's.

His surprise only lasted a few seconds and Jak recovered from his surprise. He swiftly pushed the she-elf away from him, staring at her with a mixture of anger and horror. "How dare you!" He hissed. "Keira, the love of my life, has only been dead for two days, and you think I'm ready to fall into the arms of the next woman who comes along? Didn't you hear me before? I can't love! I can never love again, even if I live! Keira was my soul-mate and nothing, not even her death or my death, can change that! I will be doomed to love her and grieve for her until the day I die!"

"Jak, just because Keira's life has ended, doesn't mean yours should end too." Ashelin said. "Keira wasn't the only woman in existance... and I still love you."

"Ashelin..." Jak paused and let out a sigh. "Even if we did start a relationship with each other, you've got to understand... I would never be able to love you the way a boyfriend should love his woman. It... it's just not possible."

"I don't care." Ashelin said stubbornly. "As long as you are with me." She leapt at Jak again and kissed him. And, much to his own horror, he began to kiss her back.

Jak's mind was screaming. _No! This is wrong! This isn't right! This is a violation of nature! The Precursors never took anyone else after their first mate died!"_

Another part of his mind answered. _This might be a good thing. Maybe that's why the Precursors died, because they were unable to move on. Taking another girlfriend may be the only way for you to live._

_But... Keira... Oh God... I might as well be cheating on her!_

_You can't cheat on someone who is dead. Besides, how would Keira react if she saw you like this... depressed, on the brink of suicide? Would Keira want you to mourn for the rest of your life?_

That one really hit home. No, Keira wouldn't have wanted him to mourn for the rest of his life. She would have wanted him to live and move on from her death.

The two elves pulled apart, Ashelin looking slightly apprensive. She thought, at the very least, Jak would get pissed at her again. However, his reaction was quite the oppisite of what she expected.

He didn't say anything for several seconds, and then he smiled. An actual smile, something that Ashelin had only seen him wear when he was around Keira. And, now, he was smiling at her like that. She took his smile as concent and she pressed herself against the elf, letting him wrap his arms around her, as he should.

On the outside, he was everything a loving boyfriend should be, but on the inside, Jak was sickened by what he was doing. Just touching Ashelin in a loving way made him want to be sick. He felt as if he had betrayed Keira's memory by seeing someone else after her. This pretend relationship might save his life, but nothing could free him of the guilt he got from betraying Keira in the worst possible way.

This wasn't going to be love. This was going to be a joke, a cruel imitation of love. _Keira..._ Jak thought desperately as he clung to Ashelin. _I'm so sorry...

* * *

_

**LES: Here's something I never thought I'd write... a relationship between Jak and Ashelin, even if it is only half-assed to Jak. (points at Ashelin) You stay away from him! Besides, you're just the re-bound girl!**


	8. False Love

**Chapter IIX: False Love**

**LES: This is going to be very hard for me to do, having to write this JakAshelin relationship, especially since Jak isn't really in love with her. At least other people who write JakAshelin have the benefit of having them love each other. But this relationship is just as fake as the name 'Light-Eco-Sage'.**

**Keira: I think I know why Jak hates you so much now.**

**LES: Get back out into the Wasteland, Keira! I've got a new plot twist for you to act through, and you can't reunite with Jak until I get a chance to screw things up as much as possible!

* * *

**

(Wasteland)

* * *

Out in the deep resesses of the Wasteland, the most unusual travelling pair rested for a few minutes in a cave in the side of the mountain ranges.

Lebeon, the elf-turned-muse, and Keira, Jak's supposably dead finacee. They had been travelling across the desert for two days without any major incident... well... except for one thing.

Keira hadn't really felt that good that morning. Both she and Lebeon thought it was the heat of the desert, because that could get to anyone, until she had vomitted.

"Are you all right?" Lebeon asked, concerned for her. The middle of the Wasteland desert was the last place that one should get sick.

"I don't know." Keira said after she had finished being sick. "I... I think I'm better now."

"Man, this is complicated enough without you getting sick." Lebeon ignored Keira's comment.

Keira stood up straight, as if nothing had just happened. "Really, I'm fine. I don't know what that was, but I think I've got it out of my system. I'm better now, really."

"I've never seen someone get that sick, and then get better that fast... except..." Lebeon paused, thinking. And then he gasped. "No! This is just the thing we need, more complications!"

"What?" Keira asked. "What do you think it is?"

"I've seen this... once before, in a friend of mine's wife. She had a habit of eatting her breakfast in a restroom so she could have easy access to a toilet when she got sick..."

"Wait... are you suggesting that I have morning sickness?" Keira asked. "But that could only mean..." Keira trailed off. "Oh my God! That could only mean that I'm pregnant!"

"This only complicates matters!" Lebeon said. "I have no idea what this sort of stress will do to an unborn baby..."

But Keira wasn't listening to Lebeon's rant. She was still absorbing the fact that it appeared that she was pregnant with Jak's son or daughter. It seemed almost a dream come true. Ever since Jak had proposed to her, she began having this fantasy of having a family, of children. It was a fantasy every new bride has, children. Her hands travelled automatically to her abdomen.

This was only one more reason for Keira to get back into Jak's arms as soon as possible. He had to know that he was going to be a father. "Jak... we're going to have a baby." She whispered, well aware that Jak would be unable to hear her.

"Keira, are you listening to me?" Lebeon asked. "This only complicates matters. We've got to get back to Spargus as soon as possible. We need to head out now."

Keira listened this time. "I wonder how Jak is going to react when he finds out about this." She said, refering to her pregnancy. "He has his reasons to be nervous about being a father."

"I'm sure he'll be happy." Lebeon said automatically. "What kind of man wouldn't be happy about being a father?"

"A man who has never known his own father... doesn't have a role-model." Keira said. They walked out of the cave and into the bright Wasteland morning sun.

"Does Jak love you?" Lebeon asked.

"Of course he does." Keira said.

"And do you believe that he will love your baby?"

"Yes. Jak's a hardened warrior, but he isn't heartless." Keira said.

"This is enough." Lebeon said. "Love... that's all one needs to be a good father. If you have love, then everything else will fall into place."

They began to set off across the desert on foot as they had for the past two days. "Still... I wish that Jak were here with me." Keira said.

Lebeon didn't blame the young she-elf for wanting her lover and financee with her. He was not only one of the greatest warriors in the world, someone who could protect her, but he was the father of her unborn child and the man she was all set to marry. It was something that, even though he had never personally experenced it, it was something that he could understand.

* * *

Back in Spargus, everyone had suddenly become aware of Jak's disappearence. "Man, isn't this like the third time Jak's disappeared out from under our noses? Someone's got to put a homing device on him." Daxter grumbled to himself as he searched the City streets for any sign of his friend. And then he saw a flash of a familiar face. Daxter did a double take to confirm what he had seen. It was Jak, walking down the street in a zombie-ish sort of way. "Yo! Jak!" Daxter hailed his friend. Jak looked up rather slowly, as if his brain were having a harder time processing infomation. "Jak? Where did you go?" Daxter asked as he approached the elf. Jak stared at Daxter for several seconds as if trying to decide if he were real or not. Daxter had a sudden suspision that in the stress of losing Keira, Jak had lost his mind completely. "Jak? Are you all right?"

Finally, Jak spoke. "Dax?"

"That's right. Me Dax, you Jak." Daxter said slowly like he was talking to someone who wasn't all there. "Now, can you tell me where you've been? Everyone's worried about you."

"I... I'm fine." Jak said in a totally unconvicing manner. "I just... needed to think about stuff and..." He trailed off.

"What? And what?" Daxter urged.

"Stuff happened..." Jak said slowly.

"Jak, stop talking like a three-year old! You've been able to speak for four years!" Daxter said. "Now, just tell me what happened!"

"I'm... I'm getting... married." Jak said slowly.

Daxter stared at Jak, now he really thought that Jak had lost his mind. "Uh... Jak... Keira's dead. I don't think they'd let you marry a dead person."

"I'm not marrying Keira." Jak said.

This was perhaps the most shocking thing that Daxter had ever heard come out of Jak's mouth apart from the time when Jak first proclaimed that he loved Keira. "Wha... what?" Daxter asked.

"It's not Keira. She's dead, and I can't bring her back." He paused. "I don't really know what came over me. She was there, and it slipped out, and she said she would marry me."

"Who is it, Jak?" Daxter asked, but he had a feeling he already knew who it was. The one woman who claimed to love Jak even when he was engaged to Keira... the one woman who seemed keen to end Jak and Keira's relationship... the one woman who had tried to seduce Jak besides Keira... Ashelin Praxis.

"Ashelin." Jak answered, confirming Daxter's beliefs and his fears.

"Jak... have you completely lost your effing mind? Keira died only two days ago, and you're already engaged to someone else?" Daxter demanded, and then he paused, looking at Jak. "Do you love Ashelin?"

Jak considered lying to the rodent. But Daxter was one of the people who could easily see through Jak's lies. This was mainly due to the fact that he had learned to read Jak's face when he was a mute. "No... I don't love her."

"Uh... Jak... maybe you need a lesson in the circle of life. Okay, in order to get married, you should probably be IN LOVE!"

"Some times... you don't need love." Jak said what he had been repeating to himself over and over since he accidentally asked Ashelin to marry him. "If I don't do this, I'm going to die."

"Is this about the whole 'grieving to death' thing?" Daxter asked.

"So you know." Jak said softly. "Yes, it is about that. I think the only chance I have is to move on as quickly as possible."

"But... Jak..." Daxter was desperate for Jak to understand why this was wrong. "You can't do this to yourself or Keira's memory. What would Keira think if she were still alive?"

"Dax, if Keira were alive, I wouldn't consider this for a second; but she's not alive. She's dead. She's dead and there's nothing I can to to bring her back." Jak suddenly swore angrily. "Some hero I am! I can't even protect the person that I loved the most!"

"Jak! You can't blame yourself for Keira's death!" Daxter said.

"I can, and I will." Jak hissed. "It was the same type of lizard that I fought in my second arena fight! I know I could have beaten it!"

"That's a lie, and you know it!" Daxter said. "Remember, that was the lizard that almost had Jak with a side of Daxter for breakfast!" Jak didn't respond to that. "But... why do you have to marry Ashelin?"

"Dax... I will be cursed to love and grieve for Keira until the day I die, but that doesn't mean my life has to end." Jak said. "I just want to live, Daxter, it's what Keira would have wanted."

Daxter stared at Jak. "Jak, I know that my approval would probably mean more than anything to you right now. I gave my approval to you and Keira. You and Keira were so meant to be that it wasn't possible for me to deny your relationship for too long. That was true love. But... you and Ashelin..." Daxter paused. "That's not love. Ashelin just has an over-devoloped crush on you, and you admit that you don't love her. This marriage will make you both unhappy in the long run..." Daxter paused for several seconds. "This relationship makes me sick to my stomach."

"Daxter..." Jak began, showing that he was desperate for his friend's acceptance. He needed to have Daxter to understand where he was coming from, and to support him.

"No, Jak. I gave you and Keira my full approval because it was the right thing to do." Daxter sighed. "But with you and Ashelin... I'm going to have to put my foot down." Daxter said. "You can't marry Ashelin. There, I've said it."

Jak stood in shock for several seconds. "You know, Daxter, I thought you would be the only person who would understand why I have to do this." Jak said, now a hint of anger in his voice. "But I guess you're too absorbed in your own world for you to realize that I'm not a god! I'm an elf, and I can hurt just like everyone else! Yes, Keira's death hurt me like nothing I've ever been through before, and it's still hurting me, but I have to move on!"

"Absorbed in my own world?" Daxter demanded, now it was he who was getting mad at Jak. "Look who's talking! You're the one who's been 'me, me, me' for the past year! You're not the only one who was hurt by Keira's death. Samos... she was his only daughter, and she was my friend. We're all hurting. But going out and marrying Ashelin days after Keira dies is the wrong way to grieve, Jak!"

Jak glared down at the rodent. He looked ready to go Dark and teach him a lesson. But, instead, Jak spoke in a quiet, dangerous tone that was, in it's own right, far more scary than when he was out-right yelling. "If that's the way you feel, then fine!" He hissed. "I've had enough, Daxter! I'm sick of your optimistic attitude when there's nothing to be optimistic about!" Jak turned and stormed off.

"Be sure to say hello to Ashelin for me, you bastard!" Daxter yelled mockingly after Jak. Never, in all their years as friends, did Jak and Daxter have an arguement like that one. They had argued on several occasions since Jak gained his voice, but none of those arguements ever became too heated. But, now it seemed unlikely that they would make up any time soon. In fact, it seemed like their very friendship could be in danger.

Jak, Daxter, and Keira. The Friendship Trio had already lost one of its members. And now, the 'dynamic duo' would become the 'dynamic uno'.

Jak would never admit that his coarse of action was the wrong one. It just wasn't possible any more. To him, marrying Ashelin was the only way to insure his survival.

Daxter, likewise, would never admit his advice had been in the wrong. In Daxter's eyes, Jak was taking the worst possible action. Jak admitted that he felt no love for Ashelin. Maybe Ashelin knew that he didn't love her, but that was still wrong. And it seemed cruel to Keira's memory for Jak to get married days after her death.

It was suppost to be Keira walking down the aisle, and in the absence of Keira, nobody. Even though that meant that, basically, Jak could never get married, that was the way it should be. And, even though Daxter was just as stubborn as Jak on the issue, he was hurt by Jak's actions and his words. Daxter looked up into the sky. "Keira... I wish you were here now. None of this would be happening if you were still here with us. You and Jak were suppost to be happy... but now you're dead, and Jak's as good as dead." Daxter lowered his eyes back to the ground and began to walk back to Jak's place, hoping to get there before Jak so that he could find someone to stay with now that Jak was mad at him. Perhaps Sig or Samos, god forbid, would afford the Ottsel some room.

Thankfully, it seemed that Jak had stalked off to sulk somewhere because when Daxter got to the flat, only Samos was there. "Hey, Samos." Daxter said in an unusually polite voice, considering he was talking to Samos and all. "Do you mind if I stay with you for a while?"

The absurdity of the statement caused Samos to stare at the orange Ottsel. And, besides, Samos couldn't even remember the last time Daxter had called him 'Samos'. "Where's Jak? Don't you live here with him?"

"Not anymore." Daxter said. "Jak's so pissed at me right now, I doubt he wants to ever see me again."

Samos was even more shocked now. It wasn't uncommon for Jak and Daxter to have petty arguements, but those never became heated unless Jak was in a really foul mood. "What did you two argue about?" Samos asked.

"What do you think?" Daxter answered his question with a question.

"My daughter..." Samos said, understanding. "But... why?"

"You'll never believe this, but when Jak went out, he ran into Ashelin. Well, I guess one thing led to another, and now they're engaged to be married in the next few days!" Daxter said angrily.

Samos, for his part, took this all in stride. "Well... it might help him..."

"What?" Daxter demanded. "Are you siding with JAK when Keira was your DAUGHTER?"

"I'm not siding with Jak." Samos said. "But I can understand his logic. Though he feels no love for any other woman besides my daughter, Ashelin seems to love Jak. Jak needs love to survive, and he is prepared to take it from any source he can find. Ashelin's love may not be as fulfilling as Keira's, but it is still love, and it may be just enough to stop Jak from dying."

"But... it's just wrong. He shouldn't move on from Keira's death so quickly." Daxter paused thoughtfully. "I remember back during the whole War of the Champions thing, he was so reluctant to propose to Keira, it took him months from when I first suggested it to him to him actually proposing to her. And now it only takes him a few minutes to get engaged to Ashelin?"

"Jak's desperate." Samos said simply. "He knows that, if he fails to move on, he's only got days to live. I'm not saying that Jak is doing is the right thing by rushing into a loveless marriage with Ashelin; but to him, that is the only option he has left now."

Suddenly the door opened and Jak walked in. He froze when he saw Daxter. "What are you doing in my house?" He demanded.

Daxter stood up. "Nothing. I'm leaving." Daxter began to head past Jak.

"Dax." Jak said suddenly. Daxter stopped in the doorway, but didn't respond verbally. "If I see you anywhere near my wedding, I'll make you regret it."

Daxter and Samos stared at Jak in shock. "You can't possibly mean that." Samos said reasonably.

"I do, Samos." Jak said.

"See what I mean, Samos?" Daxter looked back at Samos. "Jak's completely lost his mind. He expects to have a wedding without having his best friend there."

"Not anymore, Dax." Jak said cruelly. "Besides, there's still plenty of people. My mother, Torn..."

"Oh, I'm sure Torn will absolutely love watching you marry his ex." Daxter laughed.

"OUT!" Jak roared. Even Daxter understood when Jak had reached his limit. This was not the time to be screwing with him. Daxter left in a hurry. Jak glared at the door that Daxter ran through.

"Jak, my boy..." Samos began.

"Don't, Samos. I could never expect you to understand why I'm doing this." Jak said.

"But I do understand." Samos said. "I understand that my daughter meant more to you than life itself. I understand that her passing hurt you more deeply than any of us could ever imagine. I understand why you need Ashelin's love, even if you are incapible of returning it. It is very hard for me to accept, but I see your logic."

"She was your daughter." Jak said. "I wouldn't expect anything more from you."

"I just want to ask you to think about one thing... can you do that for me?" Samos asked. "It is my daughter that you truely love, not Ashelin. Do you really think that forcing yourself into a loveless marriage will help you move on from my daughter's death? Ashelin loves you, and that's something, but can that really replace the love of a soul-mate?"

Jak stared at the floor. He couldn't get mad at Samos like he did with Daxter. They both suffered an extremely personal loss. "I don't know." Jak admitted truthfully. "I guess I'll know the moment that my grief kills me." Jak walked over to the window and stared out into the desert heat. "I think... some part of me wants to die so I can be with Keira. Maybe... I have become a Deathseeker..."

Samos listened quietly. A Deathseeker was basically what it sounded like: a person who sought after their own death. He wasn't really surprised that Jak was a Deathseeker after all that had happened to him. He was aware of Jak's slight suicidal tendencies ever since they first reunited. "Jak, when you are as old as I am, there's nothing wrong with longing for death. But you are still young. Jak... you have too much of a future to be a Deathseeker."

"Look at me, Samos." Jak said sorrowfully. "My past and my present all revolve around death, whose to say that my future isn't the same way? Death has been on my mind for years... and through prison, I just wanted to die so my pain would end. And when I found out I only had a few months to live... I resigned myself to death. During the War of the Champions, there were times I was sure that I would not survive. My life is full of death, Samos, so do you find it all that surprising that I am a Deathseeker?"

"My boy..."

"I just... I just wish that Keira were here now." Jak said, wrapping his arms around himself as if he were cold. "She let me ignore the Deathseeker side of me. She made it seem like my life was worth living. If she were here... everything would be all right and I wouldn't have to make these decisions!"

"I know. I wish that Keira were still here too." Samos said sorrowfully. "But, what I really don't understand is why you have to take your anger out on Daxter. You know that he's acting in the way that he thinks is best. He's just trying to help you."

"I'm taking it out on Daxter... because there's no one to take it out on anymore. I've destroyed most of the Marauders and the Metal-Heads seem to have gone into hiding. I feel so much... despair... rage... sorrow... and I no longer have an outlet. Maybe it's just the Darkness in me, but I want to not only take my life, but to kill someone for Keira's death... but there's nothing for me to kill."

"So, I see the true tragity of what the Baron did to you." Samos said sadly. Jak looked at him in confusion. "Do you think that Keira would want you to kill on her behalf? She loved you, there's no doubt about that, but she never liked it when you killed or hurt... even in righteous anger. She told me this many times."

Jak stared at Samos. "She never told me that."

"Sometimes the things you want to say to someone the most are actually the hardest things to say." Samos said. "Keira wouldn't want you to kill for her. And, Jak, please don't be too hard on Daxter. You know he's your friend. He's just trying to help you, we all want to help you... but we can't help you until you let us in."

"No one can truely help me anymore." Jak said.

"Fine. Just don't destroy yourself." Samos said. "Even Deathseekers have lives, even though they can't always see it."

"Don't worry, Samos. Even though part of me is a Deathseeker, I'm not stupid enough to kill myself. If I do die, it will be from grief or an accident."

"When a Deathseeker dies, it is never an accident." Samos said.

"Samos... I'm sorry for all the trouble I've put you through. If I die within the next few days, I just want you to know that." Jak paused. "Damas was my biological father, but you were the one who raised me to be kind and thoughtful... to know the difference between right and wrong. And, now, I've turned into... this."

"Jak, my boy. It's true that you are no longer the boy that I helped raise in Sandover." Samos said, Jak hung his head. Even though he knew it to be true, it still hurt for Samos to say it. "But, no matter what, you are still Jak, and I'll always be proud of you."

Jak smiled in a somewhat sorrowful way. Very rarely did someone tell him something nice like that. Every once in a while, you just need to hear that. "Thanks, Samos."

"Now, let's consintrate on a way to help you." Samos said. "So, you know that you only have half a soul now?"

"Unlike Daxter, I actually listened to your lessons, Samos." Jak said.

"So, you're sure that Keira's gone?"

"I... I can still feel her there... but that's probably just my imagination. It's like when someone loses a body part and they can still feel it... a phantom feeling. She's been a part of me since I was six years old... I'm not surprised that I'm having phantom feelings of her."

"A phantom feeling... yes." Samos agreed. "That is probably the one thing that is keeping you alive. But, ironically, it is the same thing that is causing you all your pain. Somehow, you must learn to live with this grief."

"Am I really doomed to love and grieve for Keira forever?" Jak asked.

"It is more than likely." Samos said. "You're case is special. You are the first Level Five Channeler since Mar himself, and you are the only elf I know of who is a part of a soul-mate relationship. It's hard to say what will happen. But I doubt that you'll ever be able to let Keira go. You might grieve for her until the day you die."

"That's great." Jak said, somewhat sarcastically. He looked over at Samos. "I miss her."

"I know, my boy, I miss her too." Samos said.

* * *

**LES: I realize that I forgot to explian the whole 'Level' system that I made for Channelers. I'll admit that it is kind of borrowed from X-Men: The Last Stand. But I made my own qualifications for the levels because they don't really discribe the classes in X-Men. The Levels are One to Five, One being the lowest, and Five being the highest. Here's a run down of the different levels:**

**Level One: Non-Channelers. People with no tolerance and no control over Eco. Any exposure to Eco will most likely cause death to Level Ones.**

**Level Two: Half-Channelers. People high tolerance to Eco, almost immune, but they have no control over Eco. Any contact with overly large amounts of Eco will cause non-lethal mutation.**

**Level Three: Basic Channelers, the most common type of Channeler. Pretty good tolerance and control over Eco, but no special abilities.**

**Level Four: Advanced Channelers. More powerful and have a broader range of abilities than Level Three Channelers, but they are still considered in the range of 'normal Channelers.'**

**Level Five: The most powerful form of Channelers. They have enormous control over Eco, and an extremely high tolerance for Ecos. They are mainly characterized by their ability to handle the two most dangerous types of Eco, Dark and Light. There have only been two examples of Level Five Channelers in history: Mar and his decendent, Jak.**

**LES: Well, there you go. Hope this sheds some light on this new system. This is Light-Eco-Sage, over and out!**


	9. The Wasteland

**Chapter IX: The Wasteland**

**LES: More Wasteland goodness, and then more Spargain goodness!

* * *

**

The sun beat down cruelly on the travelling compainions, a muse and a she-elf. Lebeon was cheating slightly by walking in Keira's shadow.

The last day of travelling had been especially unkind to the she-elf. Her clothes were torn in several places and there was a constant look of worry on her beautiful face. Her hands now constantly rested on her stomach, and for good reason.

She didn't doubt that she was pregnant now. She had been sick again that morning. She couldn't stop thinking about the baby she carried. Would it be a boy or a girl? Would it look more like Jak or herself? And its personality! Would her and Jak's child follow in the warrior steps of its father, or would it chose a different path altogether?

But perhaps the most amazing thing of all was the fact that she was the woman who would be the one to carry Jak's royal son or daughter, a prince or a princess. The continuation of Mar's royal line, the grandchild of King Damas Mar and Queen Anastasia Mar, the child of Prince Jak Mar.

There were those who would kill for the chance to be the mother of royalty, to marry a real-life prince. Keira's thoughts instantly travelled to Ashelin. It occured to her that, had Jak grown up as a Prince, he probably would have been forced into an arranged marriage with Ashelin. She was, after all, the daughter of a Baron, a titled woman, a 'fine' arrangement.

It made Keira all the more glad that Jak hadn't grown up as a Prince, that he had been grive the choice to fall in love on his own, not be forced into an arranged marriage with a woman he could never love.

Besides, if he had been brought up in the royal ways, he would be far less reluctant to take the throne that was his birthright, to become King. Keira laughed, dispite herself. The thought of Jak sitting on a throne, wearing a crown, looking 'Kingly', was amusing... even ridiculous.

"How are you doing?" Lebeon asked from behind Keira, looking up at her with large black eyes.

"Given the circumstances... I'd say I'm fine." Keira said, wiping some sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand.

"Well, I've got some good news and some bad news." Lebeon said. "The good news is that Spargus is right on the other side of those mountains. If we go through the path there..." He pointed to a small path that went through the mountains. "We should be there in two days."

"And what's the bad news?" Keira asked.

"Look over there." Lebeon said, pointing in the distance. Keira looked and gasped. A sandstorm was forming on the horizon, a large, very deadly storm. "A big storm. And, here in the Wasteland, even small storms are dangerous. We have to find shelter right away."

Even though Keira had spent less time in the desert environment then Jak, she shared his respect for how deadly the Wasteland was. Getting caught unprepared in a large sandstorm would kill you as surely as if you had cut your own throat.

"I agree." She said hurriedly. There only was one way to survive the deadly storm: to find a cave, cover the entrance with the sandstorm-proof material, and to hope that they were not buried.

The next ten minutes were spent in a frantic search for a suitable cave. At first, it seemed that no such cave could be found. And then Lebeon discovered a small cave. The entrance was small, but Keira managed to sqeeze through. After she was in, she helped Lebeon put up the tough, leather-like material over the entrance of the cave.

The she-elf watched Lebeon with amazement. Even though he had lost his elvin body and was now very small, smaller than Daxter even; he had grown to live with it, just as Daxter had ultimately grown to live with his mutation.

A suddenly urge hit Keira. "Lebeon, if you ever had the chance to change back into an elf, would you take it?"

Lebeon paused slightly, and then finished covering up the entrance of the cave. "Why do you ask?"

"Well... Daxter... I told you about him, he had the chance to regain his elvin form, but he gave it up for..." Keira laughed. "A pair of pants. I was just wondering if you'd do something similiar."

"Never for pants." Lebeon said. "Pants are nice, but you can get them once you're an elf again. There may be a few things that I'd be willing to give up being elvin for, but I'd rather not talk about them."

There was a roar outside the cave, as if the sandstorm could sense the two that were just out of its reach. The fabric strained under the pressure of the wind, but it held. That was a blessing all on its own.

The two didn't talk to each other, because it was hard to hear each other over the sound of the storm outside. So they remained silent, trapped in their own thoughts.

Lebeon thought about Keira's question. He had long ago given up the hope that he could return to his elvin body. He had long ago accepted his muse body: walking on all fours, the large eyes that gave him a different view of the world than elvin eyes, the long bushy tail. He turned his head around to peer at the rest of his body thoughtfully, the body of a muse that housed the personality of an elf. If he ever got the chance, would he want to return to his own body?

Keira's thoughts were to be expected. When she got back to Spargus, how would she tell Jak about her pregnancy? Then again, she didn't even have to tell him yet, she could wait until she knew that he'd be ready to handle the information. Having a baby was a major step that she feared he would be reluctant to take.

But she pushed that thought out of her mind. Even if her future-husband and lover had misgivings about being a father at first, she knew in her heart that Jak would be a great daddy. He had proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he wasn't the heartless monster that people portrayed him as. He could be thoughtful and kind when he wanted to be. He was just someone who had been forced to adapt to alien situations in order to survive and come out on top.

The love of her life, her soul-mate, the man she loved more than life itself was only two days away. Not that far of a distance, but no distance on foot through the burning desert could ever be considered 'short'. Not by a long-shot.

Keira closed her eyes, for when her eyes were closed, she could almost convince herself that she wasn't in the Wasteland, but with Jak in Spargus, preparing for their marriage. She could almost feel his arms around her, almost feel his lips brushing against her skin...

_Jak, I don't care what it takes, but we will be husband and wife. We'll be together again..._ Keira vowed to herself.

* * *

Only a few hours after that moment in the Wasteland cave, the same sandstorm hit Spargus full-force, forcing the desert people to take refuge inside.

Jak, too, was forced indoors. He would prefer to stay outside, but not even he could survive in a sandstorm unprotected. But it was torturous for him to be locked up in the house where he and Keira were suppost to spend the rest of their lives together, where they had both lived since Keira made the decision to leave Haven City behind her to be with the man she loved... since he had proposed to her.

A sudden knock on the door jarred Jak from his thoughts. He stared up at the door in confusion. What idiot would be outside in a sandstorm? "What the...?" He asked no one in particular as he walked over and quickly opened the door to let the person in. The person jumped into the house instantly and Jak just as quickly shut the door after the person.

The person was a she-elf, that much was clear. She was heavily clothed in the thick cloth that protected against sandstorms. And then she removed the hood to reveal that it was none other than Ashelin Praxis, Jak's newest finacee. "Hello, Jak." She said softly.

"Ashelin? What are you..." Jak paused, and then started over again. "What are you doing here?"

"Well... I thought that we should spend some... quality time together before we got married." While Ashelin's words conveyed innocence, her tone suggested an altogether different story.

Jak recognized the tone instantly, a suductive tone, and he stiffened involenteeraly. Keira had used that tone on his several times, something that worked very well for her. But, coming from Ashelin, that tone just put him on edge. "Ashelin... I..." But he couldn't form any more intelligent words.

Ignoring the elf's half-sentences, Ashelin pressed herself fully into Jak's semi-embrace, pressing her lips to his. He felt her hands running over his body on familiar paths, paths that Keira had once used to great effect on his lust. But, while in that regard, Ashelin's caresses were similiar to Keira's, they didn't feel right at all. As the she-elf's motions became more and more sexual, Jak's discomfort grew until he felt sick to his stomach.

Feeling a sudden nausea overtake him, Jak swiftly pushed Ashelin away from him and ran to the nearest toliet where he promptly emptied his stomach of its contents.

Ashelin, who had hurried after Jak, watched from the doorway with concern as Jak perged himself. "Are you all right?" She asked in alarm.

After a few seconds of vomitting, he stopped being sick, but he couldn't stop shaking, as if he had suddenly gotten the flu. "I'm... I'm fine." He gasped.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"I just... I think it's the magic in my blood." Jak said, his shaking had not stopped. "I... I don't think I'm ready for this..."

"Jak, if you don't want to get married..." Ashelin said slowly.

Jak cut her off harshly. "No!" He stood up, using the wall for support in case his limbs should fail him. "We are going to get married... as soon as possible."

"But I need to know that you'll be able to let go of Keira." Ashelin said.

"I've told you before, Ashelin, I'll never be able to let go of her. I told you that before you agreed to marry me." Jak said.

"So... will you always be looking off into the distance? Will you always look at me like I'm someone else... like I'm her?" Ashelin asked. Jak's answer wasn't forthcoming. She moved up to Jak and lightly kissed his forehead. (Let's face it, he just finished puking.) "Jak, I love you, you understand that, right? I need to hear you say it too. Tell me you love me."

Jak stood still for several seconds, just thinking. Ashelin wanted him to say that he loved her? No problem... in theory. After all, the words 'I love you' are just words. Just as they can be said and meant, they can be said and not meant. Jak opened his mouth to tell Ashelin the words she wanted to hear. But the words caught in his throat. It was like there was a physical blockage holding the words back. It reminded him strongly of being mute. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the words past the blockage.

He couldn't say those three simple words. The Precursor part of him wouldn't let him say the words 'I love you' to someone who wasn't his soul-mate. He felt that he'd sooner make himself vomit again than get the words out.

"I... I..." Jak croaked, trying to get the words past the blockage in his throat. "I... I can't." He finally said. "I can't say it... it's impossible."

Ashelin stared at Jak for several seconds, a mixture of shock and anger playing across her face. "You told Keira that you loved her all the time."

"She was my soul-mate! Of course I could tell her that I loved her!" Jak roared. "Stop talking about Keira! I never want to hear her name again!"

Even Ashelin was suprised by Jak's outburst. It seemed undeniably cruel of him to say that. But it made perfect sense if you could feel that pain that Jak felt everytime someone said Keira's name. Everytime Keira was mentioned, it was like someone stabbed him through the heart. Everytime someone said Keira's name, he felt the pain of losing the love of his life all over again.

Jak glared at Ashelin for several seconds. "Please leave now." The words sounded polite, but the tone conveyed an order. "I'm going to go visit my mother."

Ashelin knew that he meant business this time. She sighed. "I suppose... your mother comes first." She said simply, but she suspected that Jak was just trying to get rid of her, and just using his mother as an excuse. Never the less, she stood up and left the house after binding herself up in the sandstorm-proof material again.

Jak closed himself up inside his mind where his only companions was that of his two alter-egos.

**'I see you're not ignoring us any more.'** Dark said sourly. **'Man, are you depressed or what?'**

_'Don't mess with him now, Dark One.' _Light said. _'The loss of a loved one is something that is difficult for you to understand, but you must feel it too...'_

**'Fear of loss is weakness.'** Dark growled.

Light turned his attention away from his oppisite and towards Jak's consciousness. _'I'm afraid that if you've come here looking for comfort, you've come to the wrong place. As I share your body and mind, I also share your feelings for your soul-mate. I feel the pain of her passing just as you do.'_

_Then, tell me, how are you able to stay sane?_ Jak asked.

**'By not moping and moaning about things that we can't have.'** Dark hissed.

_'Quiet!'_ Light ordered. _'I would say because I am a being of pure Light Eco, so it makes it hard for me to feel negaitive feelings like depression... and I'd say that Dark One is already rather insane.'_

**'Hey!'** Dark said indignantly. **'For your information, I am able to stop from self-destructing because your depression sooths my soul. Your pure misery is quite euphoric, actually.'**

_Dark, if you don't have any thing productive to say, shut up._ Jak grumbled. Dark hissed at him, but didn't respond in a language that Jak could understand.

_'Might I suggest that you let my power overcome you?' _Light suggested. _'Light Eco may help you.'_

**'Or you can take on my powers and take out your misery on someone.' **Dark suggested hopefully.

_You already got a majority of the Marauders! What more could you want?_ Jak demanded.

**'What every self-respecting demon wants... everything and everyone.'**

_Shut up! I am not ruled by you anymore!_ Jak hissed. _You pretty damn-near killed me!_

**'Only because you were too weak to use my raw power back then!'** Dark snapped. **'Besides, is that any way to thank me after all that I've done for you? I've made you stronger, faster, and generally better than the other members of your kind! I'd like to see you do some of the things you've done with past year without me!'**

Jak didn't reply to Dark for several seconds. _You're right. I'm sorry. I've just been a little... on-edge since Keira..._ He paused mid-thought. He couldn't even think the phrase 'Keira died'.

**'As your pet rat would say: That's the understatement of all time.' **Dark said.

_Daxter... Daxter will never accept my marrying Ashelin. If I marry Ashelin, he'll probably never speak to me again._

**'Well, that's as good a reason to marry the red-head as any.' **Dark growled.

_That's not a good thing, Dark! Precursors... Daxter almost goes as far back as my memory does. The only people I've known longer are Samos and Keira. It seems a shame. He was one of the few people who wasn't afraid of us..._

**'Well, he should be afraid of me! I'll never forgive him for calling me gay!'**

_'Um... what is gay?' _Light asked suddenly, true 'Light' fashion.

Jak blinked. _You know... I've missed your embarrassing questions. Maybe Dark will explain it to you._

**'Hell no!'** Dark growled.

_'Never mind then.' _Light said, knowing that no one was going to explain to him. _'But why would people be afraid of me? I always thought I was rather pleasant.'_

**'Pussy!'**

Light ignored Dark's comment. _'Shouldn't you go to see your mother? That's what you told Ashelin you were going to do.'_

_That was to get Ashelin to leave. No doubt my mother will only tell me what a mistake I'm making by marrying Ashelin. She's the only family I have left, so I can't bare to tell her what I'm doing._

The trio paused, keeping to their own thoughts for several seconds before Light spoke again. _'Take my powers. I am able to heal broken bodies. Perhaps I can heal broken hearts as well.'_

**'Man, if any one of us were gay, it would be you.'**

Jak ignored Dark and focused on his Light side. _Okay._ There was a slight pause and then a bright flash of light as Light Jak appeared, his skin glowing a brillant blue and his eyes turning a pure white, a brillant white. His huge, feathery wings appeared on his shoulders and they stretched gracefully. But, most amazing of all, Jak felt his own depression melt away. The Light Eco, pure life, in his body kept all the negaitive feelings left over from Keira's passing at bay. He was able to accept the fact that Keira was gone. "You... You're right!" Light Jak said out loud to Light. "I do feel better!"

_'We only exist to help you.'_ Light said.

"I feel... like I can live through Keira's death." Light Jak said, now mainly to himself. "Just because my soul-mate is dead, doesn't mean that I have to die as well. I may never be able to love Ashelin like I loved Keira, but I will go on living! Keira... Precursors... Keira... she wouldn't want me to waste away into nothing." Light Jak moved automatically through the house, keeping his large wings folded against his body to avoid hitting them against the walls. He made his way to his room and quickly found the object that had drawn him there. It was a picture, one of the only ones he had of himself and Keira. It had been taken shortly before the Metal-Head attack on the City. Jak remembered that day well, when Daxter had suggested that they take a picture of the old group for 'old times sake.'

The photo was very basic. The three friends were standing outside the Naughty Ottsel. Jak stared at himself. He rarely had his picture taken. Besides this one picture, he only had his prison mug-shots. This picture was so much different from his prison mug-shots if only for the simple reason that he was smiling. The reason for his smile was because he had his arm wrapped firmly around Keira, at that time, just his girlfriend, not his finacee, or even lover.

Keira, too, was smiling brightly. _God, she's so beautiful..._ Light Jak thought to himself, staring down at her image.

Daxter was also in the picture, standing in his usual spot on Jak's shoulder, leaning against his larger friend's head. The rodent, ever the joker, was giving the camera the 'peace' sign.

Light Jak smiled, somewhat sadly. "Old times sake." He whispered to himself. After hesitating a second, he ripped the picture in half. "Keira's dead." He said. "Daxter's probably never going to speak to me again. That part of my life is over." He sighed. "I'm going to marry Ashelin." He paused for several seconds before he repeated himself in a more assurtive voice. "Yes, I'm going to marry Ashelin."

Without further ado, Jak spun around and walked straight over to the closet and opened the door. Inside, but seperate from the rest of Jak's casual clothes, was something so fine that it was out-of-place and stood out like a sore thumb. There was no other word to describe the clothes... Princely.

It had been a gift from Sig when he found out about Jak's royal blood. "There's no denying your heiratage." Sig said when he gave it to him. "You're a Prince, whether you accept the throne or not. You should at least make an attempt to look your station!"

Light Jak almost laughed. He hadn't worn it yet. But he had made the decision that this Princely attire would be what he would wear to his and Keira's wedding. Now, it wouldn't be Keira as the bride, but Ashelin.

Jak felt the cloth, material that was far finer than anything he was used to. "Prince Jak Mar." The Light elf laughed to himself at how dumb that sounded.

A dumb thought, right?

_Although..._ Some part of him said. _Not as dumb as Jak Mar married to Ashelin Praxis._

Jak shut out the voice.

* * *


	10. The Wedding

**Chapter X: The Wedding**

**LES: Skipping ahead two days. It's the morning of Jak and Ashelin's wedding. But it is also the day that Keira and Lebeon get back to Spargus! Let's hope that Keira gets back before Jak marries Ashelin and ruins his life!

* * *

**

He hadn't slept a wink that night.

Instead, Jak had stayed up all night steeling his will for his upcoming marriage. This was really saying something, because Jak already had a will as strong as steel.

Never, did he imagine he'd do anything like this. It was hard enough seeing himself as a married man, let alone married to someone he knew he could never love.

Ashelin was a good person, and a good friend, unlike her father. But he just couldn't imagine being married to her. It wasn't a very happy prospect. Sure, he'd be able to put on a happy face and smile, but it would be a mask that would fool some people, but not all...

Samos had visited the day before to see how Jak was holding up. He was also accompanied by Anastasia, who had heard what was going on from Samos. She made it perfectly clear to her son that, while she didn't fully approve of his actions, she would do her best to support his decision. Jak couldn't have asked for any more from his mother.

"But, are you sure you're all right about this?" She asked.

Jak sighed. "Please, Mother, I'm already having enough second doubts as it is."

Anastasia embraced her son. "Jak, marriage is a wonderful thing. When I married your father, I was overwhelmingly happy, because I knew I was marrying the man I loved." She paused at the look on Jak's face. "I'm not saying that you can't marry Ashelin. All you need is determination; if you have that, you don't need love. But..." She pulled away from Jak so she could look him directly in his eyes, eyes he got from her. "I just want you to be HAPPY. And I'm not sure if marrying Ashelin will give you happiness."

"You're right, Mother. I don't have love, but I have determination." Jak said. "Second doubts or not, I'm going to marry Ashelin. It's my only chance of survival."

"Well, Jak, you are my son. You know that I love you, and that I'll be proud of you and support you, but..." Anastasia paused, trailing off. "Never mind. I'm happy for you." She planted a light kiss on her son's forehead before walking out of the room.

Jak remained silent for several seconds before he looked at Samos. "Marriage is suppost to make me feel overwhelmingly happy. But I'm not. I feel like I'm standing on the edge of a cliff; I want to turn around, but I can't. I'm going to fall, Samos..."

"It's not too late to back out of this." Samos said.

"I've made my decision, Samos." Jak said. "I loved your daughter, Samos. I loved her with all my heart. And, to be honest..." A small smile found it's way across Jak's face. "I was kind of looking forward to having you as a father-in-law. But I can't be with Keira." Jak stormed off to be by himself.

Samos sighed. "Keira, my daughter... you left us too soon. There's still people who need you here."

* * *

Jak was quietly changing into his Princely outfit for his wedding which would be very soon. He had already called Seem and the Precursor Monk had agreed to proform the ceremony in the Spargain temple. She did kind of owe Jak a favor after the events of the War of the Champions.

Jak paused before he pulled the tunic over his head, he reached over his shoulder and felt the knotted scars that covered his back, a constant reminder of the torture he endured in prison. Keira had accepted him, scars and all, but would Ashelin be as accepting of a broken man? Jak sighed and pulled the tunic over his head, covering the horrible scars with the fabric as he had done for three years.

He finished adding the finishing details to the outfit. The outfit was simple, yet regal. The tunic was a royal blue color (big surprise), with a red sash that went across his chest to replace the old metal-ring that he always wore. The pants were tan, like his old ones, but of much better quality.

As a finishing touch, he took the Seal of Mar off the bed where he had set it last. He hesitated slightly before putting the Seal around his neck. Never before had he worn the symbol of his royal ancestor. In a way, it was like he was finally accepting his heiratage. That didn't mean that he was going to take over his father's rule, but he didn't deny that he was Damas' son, the direct decendent of Mar. He truely looked like the Prince that he was by birthright. If he had announched that day that he was actually the Prince of both Haven and Spargus, no one would question him because he looked like royalty.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Jak looked over; hoping that it was't Daxter coming to make him feel miserable. But, when he opened the door, he would have exchanged Daxter for the truth any day.

Torn stood in the doorway, glaring daggers at Jak. "So... I guess you've heard." Jak said, feinting unconcern.

"Damn right, I heard." Torn growled. It was no small secret that Torn had a bit of a thing for Ashelin. And now the little punk in front of him was marrying her, and Torn was convinced that Jak didn't even love her. "You know, I knew you were an arrogant little prick of a bastard the moment I saw you, but even I never thought you'd pull some shit as taking another man's girl!"

"Ex-girlfriend." Jak corrected coldly.

"Do you even love her, you little shit?" Torn roared. Jak remained silent, and that REALLY pissed Torn off. Without a second thought, like the fact that Jak could tear him to pieces in an instant, Torn lashed out and punched the elf square in the jaw.

Jak recovered from the blow and glared angrily at Torn, his one hand holding his jaw where Torn had punched him, and the other hand curling into a fist. He looked ready to make Torn's name really fit him. (A/N: This is a pun of the word 'torn'.) But Jak didn't attack Torn. Instead, he backed away. "I suppose I deserved that." He said, the barely contained rage audible in his voice. "But... if you attack me again, I won't hold myself back." He turned and began to walk away.

Torn stared at him in amazement. He found Jak's actions far more insulting than if he had out-right attacked him. "Get back you, you ass!"

Jak looked around at Torn. "This isn't going to make Ashelin come back to you. If we fought, I'd win, and you know it. And, even if you could defeat me, that's not going to stop Ashelin's love for me. Only she can stop loving me."

"You..." Torn growled. "You don't deserve her!"

Jak moved back over to the enraged elf. "So... something we can agree on."

Torn stared at the younger elf. He had an overwhelming urge to punch him again, but he restrained himself. As Jak had said, he would tear him to pieces. Jak vs. Torn would be a short fight that Torn could not win.

Jak seemed to wait, wait for Torn to either punch him or to back down. When Torn didn't make any violent movements, Jak assumed that he had backed down, so he walked past the pissed off Commander.

Torn growled loudly and, instead of punching Jak, punched a hole in Jak's wall. It was all the better that Jak would probably be the one ending up having to fix it.

* * *

Keira sighed with relief when the City of Spargus came into view. After two dangerous days traversing the rocky mountain pass, Spargus was finally in view. The Eternal Flame on the top of the Palace would lead her back to the man she loved.

"Well, there you are. Spargus City, the desert city." Lebeon said. "Now, let's go find your future hubby, he must be worried sick about you."

Keira hadn't really thought about how worried Jak must be about her all this time. She had mostly been concerned with her own health and safety, after all, she was looking out for two now. "You're right." She said. "Oh, Jak, you must be so worried about me!"

The travelling duo set off for the last mile or so. _I'm almost home. And then we will finally be husband and wife._

* * *

Daxter was torn. If Jak was starting to second guess his hasty decision to marry Ashelin, then Daxter was starting to regret treating Jak so horribly right when his best friend needed him the most. He figured that he should at least go apoligize for saying the things he said, and then he would calmly explain to Jak why he couldn't marry Ashelin.

That was why Daxter got up as soon as possible the day of Jak's wedding, so he could try to catch Jak before he left for the Spargain Temple. Daxter wouldn't dare try to go near Jak's wedding after the threat the elf had made. When he had seen the rageful fires in his eyes, Daxter knew that Jak would really make him regret it if he came within a hundred feet of his wedding.

Daxter burst into Jak's house. "Jak! Before you say anything, I need to talk to you!" Daxter called into the house. There was no answer, not even an angry yell for him to get out. "Jak! Jak? You here?" Only silence greeted his words. "Oh shit! He's already gone!" Daxter hissed. But, just to make sure, he checked all the rooms. He made it to Jak's room and found the torn picture on the floor. Daxter knew instantly that it was the one of himself, Jak, and Keira outside the Naughty Ottsel. "God damnit, Jak, what have you done?" Daxter asked the air.

Quite suddenly... "Jak? Are you here?"

Daxter froze, and dropped the torn picture. The voice sounded like Keira's. _I must be going insane or something. _Was Daxter's first thought. Keira was dead, she had died out in the Wasteland. It was probably just his mind playing tricks on him, just a desperate wish that Keira was alive so that everything could go back to the way it was. And then the voice rang out again:

"Jak? Daxter?"

"Maybe he's not here." An unfamiliar voice said. "Nice place, by the way."

"Thanks." The door to the bedroom began to open, Daxter staring in disbelief. The door opened, and the least likely person in the world walked through the door... Keira! Keira spotted Daxter and asked, like she hadn't been declared dead. "Daxter? Where's Jak?"

"You... You... I..." Daxter stammered. "But... you're dead!" He gasped, unsure of what to say.

Keira gave him a funny look. "What? I'm not dead."

"But... the Wasteland... Jak, he... you're dead!" Daxter couldn't get out complete sentences.

"He's not very bright, is he?" A muse that came in behind Keira said. Daxter should have taken notice of a muse talking, but he was too preoccupied with the dead girl standing in front of him.

"Daxter... I'm not dead." Keira moved towards the Ottsel and put a soft hand on his fur. "See?"

Keira's skin was solid, unlike any ghost, and warm, unlike a dead person's skin. After several seconds, Daxter spoke. "Keira? You're alive? How... how can that be? Everyone... everyone thinks you're dead!"

"I'll explain later." Keira said. "Now, Daxter, where's Jak?"

Daxter finally snapped back to reality. "Oh shit! Jak!"

"What?" Keira asked, suddenly worried. "What about Jak?" She demanded.

"You've... you've missed a lot of stuff, Keira." Daxter said. "Now, Jak still is in love with you, I've never doubted that, but he's lost his effing mind!"

"What? What happened?"

"Jak... he thought that you died and he completely went off the deep end. Well... he's been super depressed and all, tried to kill himself several times too. But he..." Daxter couldn't bare to say what Jak was doing at that moment. "We need to get to Spargain Temple right away!"

"Daxter! Is Jak all right?" Keira demanded.

"We'll find out." Daxter said. "You're 'death' nearly killed him. And he basically decided that the only way he could survive was to find love from... another source."

"Another source?" Keira asked, confused.

"Yeah. I don't know if you know this, but someone else besides you has a major crush on Jak."

"But I think I can guess who." Keira said.

"Ashelin. And... the thing is... Jak is currently in the process of... marrying her." Daxter said slowly.

Keira couldn't say anything for several seconds. "What?"

Daxter leapt onto Keira's shoulder. "Come on, we still might have time to stop Jak from making the biggest mistake of his life!"

* * *

The simpliest wedding in the universe is a Precursor wedding. It could barely even be considered a 'ceremony'. It only consisted of the soul-mates agknowledging each other by taking each other's hands.

The Elvin ceremony wasn't too much more complicated than that, and it was simplier than our ceremonies here on earth. There was no precession, nor a long set of vows. It was short, sweet, and simple.

At that moment, however, Jak would have given anything for a longer ceremony for more time to steel his will and calm his fried nerves.

Ashelin was there, she had arrived shortly after he did. She was showing off her pure white wedding dress to her future husband. (A/N: Here on Earth, it is considered bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her dress before the wedding, but on the Elvin planet, there is no such prohibition.) "So, Jak, what do you think?" She asked.

"I think you look beautiful." Jak said automatically. That was the one thing he could say to her. Soul-mate or not, he could still admire beauty, it was just hard to see beauty in any woman but his soul-mate.

Ashelin moved over to Jak, running a finger over his chest. Jak tried hard not to sqirm at her touch. "I think you look... rather dashing in that outfit." She said.

Jak took her hand in his. It seemed a loving movement to an innocent bystander, but its true purpose was to stop her from touching him like that again. Every single touch from Ashelin made him feel sick to his stomach as his body rebelled against having this woman as his wife, a replacement for the mate he had lost. "It's nearly time." He said.

Ashelin looked up at the clock in the room. "You're right." She said. "Come on, Jak. I had the feeling that you would be the only man I would ever love from the moment I met you. And I'm glad you've finally realized how much I love you."

"Love..." Jak said to himself. Love was a diesese more deadly than Eco Poisoning, a diesese that Jak was sure would kill him someday. No matter how much Ashelin loved him, he would eventually grieve himself to death. He knew that in his heart, that Ashelin's love couldn't stop his death... only make his life last a little longer. Jak stood up and looked at the door that led to the temple's main room. _That door is the edge of the cliff._ He thought to himself. It was at that moment that Jak felt his will power dry up. "Ashelin?" He asked suddenly with the intent of calling off the wedding.

"What?" Ashelin asked.

Jak, however, remembered why he was going through with this, and got back his will to marry Ashelin. He smiled reassuringly. "It's nothing. Let's go." He took her hand and led her into the Temple's main room. In Jak's mind, there was no turning back now.

There were very few people there to witness. Samos and Anastasia sat in the front row together. Jak could plainly see the looks of silent disapproval on their faces. Sig was there too, slowly shaking his head from side to side. His thoughts couldn't have been clearer. Tess the Ottsel sat by herself, no Daxter at her side. She too looked ready to scream out just how wrong the situation was. Torn sat in the very back, glaring daggers at Jak. There were a few people that only Ashelin knew, and Jak was surprised to see their disapproval. But, from the way they kept glancing from Torn to Ashelin, it was plain to see that they considered Torn a much better match for Ashelin than Jak. Jak couldn't help but agree with them. Only Seem, who was unaware of the curcumstances surrounding this marriage, seemed okay with it.

(In an elvin wedding, they don't ask for any objections. But, if you can imagine that if Seem asked for an objection, every single person in the audience would answer the call.) The two took their spots and Seem began to speak. "To our Great Creators... love was the most powerful and eternal force. The Precursors always held love in such high regard that their lives, and deaths, were governed by love. The Precursor soul-mates would live together, learn together, and die together..."

Jak's heart almost tore itself in half at the mention of soul-mates. He was supposed to die alongside Keira. But now... his elvin nature gave him the ability to try and move on from Keira's death, and his Precursor nature would force him to live with the pain of Keira's passing for the rest of his shortened life. It seemed a crueler fate than death to live on in agony.

Jak's attention returned abuptly back to Seem. He had spaced out there for a second. "...Of this union, of which the Precursors apporve..."

It was the wrong time to listen. Jak almost snorted with cynical laughter right in the middle of his own wedding. He highly doubt the Precursors would approve of this union. He could just imagine it if Tiatin were there... he would protest.

"It is an act against nature to marry one who is not your mate." The young Precursors would say.

Suddenly, a voice sounded through the temple, bringing Jak back out of his thoughts, but that voice wasn't Seem's. "Stop the wedding!"

Jak snapped out of his daydream and looked down the aisle. Ashelin, too, looked around. Seem looked up, and everyone in the audience breathed a sigh of relief, relief that someone had put a voice to all their thoughts.

It was Daxter who had spoken, standing in the doorway. "Orange Lightning?" Seem demanded. "How dare you interupt a wedding?"

"Oh, shut up, Paint-Face, you don't have any idea what's going on here!" Daxter said, uncommonly rude, even towards Seem. The Precursor monk seemed taken aback by Daxter's out-burst.

"Daxter! I told you not to come here!" Jak roared at his former friend. "I swear, you'd better have a very good explaination for this!"

"Jak, you have no idea what you're doing!" Daxter said. "If you go through with this, you'll regret it forever!"

Jak glared at Daxter. "That's not good enough. I've done a lot of things that I regret, but one more isn't going to kill me."

"What if I told you that this one would kill you?" Daxter asked.

Without a word, Jak moved away from Ashelin and Seem, and took long strides down the aisle towards Daxter. The elf roughly grabbed the Ottsel by the throat, intentionally cutting off the air to Daxter's lungs. "I told you if you came here, you would regret it!" Jak hissed.

Daxter struggled to get his message past Jak's choke-hold. "Keira..."

"Stop saying her name!" Jak roared, his face a mask of fury and pain.

"Keira... she..."

"Stop it!" Jak ordered.

"Kei..."

Jak suddenly released Daxter and the rodent fell to the floor, gasping painfully as air flowed back into his lungs. But Jak wasn't aware of the rodent. Instead, he covered his ears as if to guard himself against Daxter's words. "Stop it! Shut up! Stop tormenting me!" Jak yelled. It wasn't Daxter alone who was tormenting the elf, but his undying feeling of love for Keira.

Daxter stood shakingly. "Jak! Listen to me now!" Daxter growled quietly, but with such force that Jak was forced to listen to him. "Listen to me! After I'm done, you can either reject what I'm going to say, or accept it. If you don't believe me, you can walk right back up there and marry Ashelin, and I'll let it be on your head! Don't you even wonder why you didn't die right when you thought that Keira was dead?"

Jak scoffed. "My Elvin nature gives me the ability to move on from death."

"No, Jak, you are still alive because Keira is still alive!" Daxter said.

"Why... why can't you just let me let her go?" Jak demanded. "She's dead. Even if she did survive the attack, she doesn't know the way back to Spargus, and the desert would have killed her within hours. She's dead, and to hope that she's alive will only bring me more pain. To hope will cause my death."

"Jak, you are the only one who is keeping Keira dead." Daxter said. "She's alive... and she's just outside this temple, waiting for you." He pointed at the door behind him.

Jak stared at the door, and hesitated. Could Daxter be telling the truth? Was Keira really alive, against all odds? If she was, then marrying Ashelin would be the single greatest mistake of his life.

"Jak? What are you doing?" Ashelin asked, for she had not heard what Daxter had to say from the front of the temple, nor any of the people in the audience for that matter. Jak looked at her for a second, and then he turned and walked out the door.

Samos and Anastasia glanced at each other before getting up to follow Jak. Daxter must've said something pretty powerful to crack through Jak's thick skull. The rest of the temple was in amazement that Jak, the groom, had just calmly walked out on his own wedding.

* * *

**LES: Chapter... getting too long... must stop there...**


	11. Soul Mates Reunited

**Chapter XI: Soul-Mates Reunited**

**LES: Starting off right where the last chapter ended, with Jak going to see if what Daxter said was true about Keira being alive.

* * *

**

But Jak didn't really care about the commotion he had just caused by walking out on his own wedding. He wanted desperately for Daxter's words to be true. If Keira had somehow survived the Wasteland, then everything could go back to the way it should be. He could marry Keira, the one he really loved, and then Ashelin would be able to find someone who could return her love.

But... what if this was just some sort of cruel ruse to stop him from marrying Ashelin? What if he would find out that Keira was still dead and what Daxter had said was a lie? With that new, fragile hope taken away from him, Jak was sure that he'd be unable to survive the hurt.

Jak burst out of the temple into the Spargain day and saw only one thing...

Her... his love... seemingly back from the dead.

He moved up to her slowly, and then fell to his knees before her. She kneeled down to his level. "Keira?" He asked. "Is that really you?"

Keira smiled that beautiful smile that Jak had missed so much. "Yes, it's me. And I'm alive. Feel."

Jak reached out a shaking hand and gently touched her cheek, and then ran his fingers through her hair. Her flesh was warm... warm with life... he could sense her life-force now. She was alive! Tears of joy welled up in the lover's eyes at being reunited. "Keira..." Jak gasped. "Keira... you're alive!" He embraced his soul-mate tightly, and Keira gladly returned the embrace. And then their mouths wandered together and met in a long, and passionate kiss.

The temple doors opened again and Samos and Anastasia came out, followed closely by Daxter and Ashelin.

"Jak, what are you... oh!" Jak's mother gasped.

"Keira?" Samos gasped.

Ashelin saw that Keira was alive. "Keira!"

The reunited lovers pulled apart, both very nearly on the verge of tears of joy. And then Keira was buried under a mountain of embraces as Jak, Samos, and Anastasia all hugged her, simply happy that she was alive.

Samos finally managed to extract himself from the dog-pile-like embrace. "Keira! Oh, my daughter! How are you alive? Everyone thought you were dead!"

Keira managed to extract herself from Jak and Anastasia's embrace. "Well, after the attack, I guess I landed in the river and floated downstream a ways. I still would have died out there if it were not for Lebeon..."

"Lebeon? Who's that?" Jak asked.

"Everyone, this is Lebeon." Keira introduced, pointing to a small muse that they hadn't even noticed before.

Jak laughed uncertainly. "Keira, are you sure you're all right? That's a muse."

Suddenly, the muse spoke. "Well, your friend looks like an Ottsel, but he's not really an Ottsel, is he?" Everyone stared at the animal in shock.

Keira laughed now. "Lebeon is an elf who had a bad run-in with Blue Eco. He became a muse because of it."

Jak stood up and moved over to Lebeon, the muse climbed up on a ledge so he was more or less at Jak's level. "So, you saved my soul-mate out in the desert?" He asked. Lebeon nodded mutely, perhaps in awe of meeting the famous and infamous elf. "I suppose thanks are in order, but you have given me something that I can never thank you enough for. Tell you what... ask me for something... and if it's within my power to give, it's yours."

Daxter whistled. "Lucky!"

"What sort of power do you have to grant my wishes?" Lebeon asked.

"Well... I am the last remaining royal on the planet, not to mention that I'm in good terms with the Precursors." Jak said. "If you wanted to be Elvin, for example, I could call a favor. See, they owe me big time."

"I don't know if you have the power to grant the one thing I want more than anything else." Lebeon said. "All my life, even before I was a muse, I was shunned. I just want... to be accepted somewhere."

"Good wish." Jak commented. "I'm sure I could work to get you accepted into Spargus as an honorary citizen."

Lebeon looked up at Jak. "Really?"

"Well, I am the rightful heir to the throne here, and I haven't used my power for anything yet. I'm sure that I could work something out with King Sig."

"So... it's true?"

"What?"

"Keira told me you weren't the monster that everyone says you are. She said that you were powerful and dangerous, but you are good."

Then a once in a lifetime event took place. In fact, only Keira had previously held this power over Jak... he blushed. "Well... I don't know about that..."

"Besides, it was no trouble at all." Lebeon said. "I couldn't leave a woman out in the Wasteland to die... especially when that woman is the financee of an elf as powerful as you."

"Jak...?" Jak looked around and saw Ashelin standing in the doorway. She was apparently in shock over the sudden resurrction of Keira. There was now tears forming in her eyes.

Jak moved over to where Ashelin stood. "Ashelin... you knew that I never stopped loving Keira. I'm sorry. The situation has changed. I almost made the biggest mistake of my life... I can't marry you."

"But, Jak, I still love you!" Ashelin protested.

Jak didn't respond for several seconds before he put a finger under Ashelin's chin, gently lifting her face until he could see her eyes. "Ashelin... they say that, in life, there is always someone for every person that they can't live without." Jak planted a light, and innocent kiss on her forehead. "I've already found mine. I hope you find yours."

"So... you marrying me...?" Ashelin began.

"Sorry, baby, but you were just the rebound girl!" Daxter said.

Suddenly, even though Ashelin was wearing a dress, she swiftly kneed Jak in the gut, forcing the air from his lungs and doubling him over. Keira jumped to his side to support him as he recovered from the belt-blow. "I... I guess I deserved that too." He wheezed.

Despite how angry she felt at Jak, Ashelin was curious at Jak's words. "Too?"

"Yeah... Torn punched me this morning." Jak said, standing up straight as he recovered. "He still really cares about you, you know."

"I've given Torn plenty of chances." Ashelin said.

"Maybe you should try again." Jak said. "It's pretty obvious that he loves you. Maybe you'll find out that you really do love him instead of me."

Ashelin didn't say anything at first, she mostly looked between Jak and Keria. "So... you've chosen Keira in the end?"

"Yes." Jak said instantly like it was the most obvious answer in the world.

Ashelin sighed. "Good-bye, Jak. I... I wish you happiness in life." And then, without another look at the elf that was very nearly her husband, she left.

No one spoke for several seconds after Ashelin's departure, and then Daxter, who had to always be the one to break the silence, spoke up. "Well, everything is almost back to normal, except for one thing... I believe SOMEBODY..." Daxter glared at Jak. "Owes somenone else an apology!"

Jak got his meaning instantly. He moved over to where Daxter stood and knelt down to his level. "Daxter... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for the things I've put you through recently."

"And attempting to strangle me when I was just trying to tell you about Keira!" Daxter reminded.

"Dax, you have no idea how much I regret my actions these last few days, and the things I said to you." Jak said remorsely. "Can you forgive me?"

Daxter sighed. "I guess I kinda over-reacted too." The rodent laughed. "We both kinda acted like idiots. Sure, I forgive you, even for almost strangling me. So, we're friends again?"

Jak smiled, and then quick as lightning, he snatched the Ottself and playfully began to ruffle up his fur. "Sure, we're friends!" Jak laughed.

"AUGH! Lay off the fur, please!" Daxter yelled. Jak released him and Daxter started to try and straighten his fur out. "Do you have any idea how long it takes to groom this fur?" He grumbled.

Jak was suddenly aware of Keira at his side. He turned around to her and pulled the she-elf into a near-bone crushing hug. "Keira... you have no idea how much I missed you!"

Keira smiled in Jak's embrace. "I think I do." She whispered to him.

Jak pulled away from her and looked into her eyes. "Keira... marry me. Right here. Right now." He said. "I don't think I could live another minute without being married to you."

"Jak? Have you even looked at me? I'm not exactly dressed for a wedding. I mean... I'm in clothes that are torn and ripped from the desert... and I don't even own a dress yet."

Jak was about to say that he didn't really care when Samos spoke. "Keria, if a dress is the only thing that is keeping you from marrying your soul-mate, I believe I have a solution. Come with me." Samos walked off.

Keira looked at Jak for approval. He smiled and nodded. "Go." He said. "I'll wait just a little longer."

Keira leapt into Jak's arms and he lovingly recieved her. "Don't worry, Jak, we'll be married soon."

"I know... I'll... just go and explain the situation to Seem." Jak said with a small smile.

Keira laughed. "Well, good luck with that." The two shared a quick kiss before they went their seperate ways; Keira following her father, and Jak going back into the Temple to talk to Seem.

* * *

**LES: See? Everything's gonna turn out just fine. Oh, and to answer the question of which Disney movie inspired this story, well... it's Mulan II, except the roles were reversed. You know the part where it seemed like Shang died and Mulan agreed to marry that little boy Prince. Yeah... I totally cried when Shang seemed to die, because Mulan's misery was so... there's no other word for it... sad!**


	12. A Mother's Gift and a Real Wedding

**Chapter XII: A Mother's Gift And A Real Wedding**

**LES: But, before we go to the parts that inspired the chapter title, we're going to see Jak's explaination to Seem.

* * *

**

Jak walked back into the Temple and the commotion died down instantly. It was plain to see that everyone wanted to know what was going on. But Jak ignored them and walked straight up to Seem. "What's going on?" The Precursor High Priestess demanded. "Is there still going to be a wedding here?"

"Yes. There is going to be a wedding." Jak said in the Ancient language so that the peanut gallery would be excluded from the conversation. Several people got upset at being left out. "But there's going to be one change to my wedding."

"What change?" Seem asked, also going into the Ancient language.

"The bride." Jak said simply.

"The bride?" Seem slipped back into the standard language in her surprise. "Just a few minutes ago, you were going to marry Ashelin Praxis, now you've come in here to tell me you want to marry someone else?"

"Seem!" Jak shut her up. "The circumstances have changed." He continued in the Ancient language.

"What did Orange Lightning tell you to bring on such a dramatic change of mind?" Seem asked in the Ancient language.

"Are you aware that I am one half of a soul-mate-like relationship?" Jak asked. "Long story short, my true soul-mate disappeared and was persumed dead. I had believed that the only chance of survival that I had was to find love from a different source. So, when Ashelin told me that she loved me, I agreed to marry her."

"But that's against all the laws of the Precursors!" Seem gasped.

"I know! I know!" Jak sighed. "I know Precursor law better than most people. But I'm going to set things right. My true soul-mate is alive and here. I want to marry my true soul-mate, Keira, now."

Seem stared at Jak, and then asked in the standard language. "Are you sure that this is the woman you want to marry, and there will be no mind changes?"

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life." Jak said, also in the standard language. "So... will you marry us?"

Seem sighed. "Yes, I will."

Jak smiled broadly. "Oh, thank you, Seem! You have no idea how happy this makes me!"

"Well, as long as the Precursor Champion is happy." Seem said.

"Former Precursor Champion." Jak corrected instantly.

* * *

Samos led Keira to the small hotel where he had been staying during his time in Spargus. "So, are you nervous?" He asked his daughter casually, referring to the wedding that would be taking place very soon.

"No." Keira said honestly. "I'm excited. I've been waiting for this day for a long time."

"Are you sure..." Samos paused thoughtfully. "That you aren't marrying Jak right now because you are pregnant?"

Keira paused in her stride and stared at her father. "How... how did you know that?" She asked.

Samos smiled. "I'm the Sage of Green Eco... I can sense these things."

"Oh... oh daddy, I..." Keira stuttered as she realized what her pregnancy meant to her father. Samos knew that she had slept with Jak at least once.

"There's no need to explain." Samos said. "You might consider me 'old-fashioned', but I know what you kids are like now a days." There was silence for several seconds. "Have you told Jak yet?"

"No." Keira admitted. "I only found out while I was in the Wasteland."

"Do you intend to tell him?" Samos asked.

"Yes. I do intend to tell him. I couldn't hide something like pregnancy from him for long." Keira said. "And, no, I'm not marrying Jak because I'm pregnant, I'm marrying Jak because I love him... and I want nothing more than to be his wife."

Samos nodded, satisfied with her answer. He led her into the hotel, into his room, and then began to dig through his things. "I never thought you'd want to use it, but if you want to marry Jak now, you'll never have time to get a new one." He pulled out a medium-sized box and handed it to Keira.

Keira set down the box and opened it. When she saw what was inside, she let out a gasp. "Oh Daddy! It's beautiful!" It was a beautiful wedding dress, pure white and decorated with pearls and fine embrodery. Keira looked up at her father. "Daddy... why do you have something like this?"

Samos gazed fondly at the white silken folds. "Your mother wore this on our wedding day." He said softly. Keira stared at her father in suprise. "She looked absolutely beautiful in it. I think... I think she would have wanted you to wear it at your own wedding."

"Oh Daddy..." Keira felt tears forming in her eyes. She embraced her father. "It's beautiful! Thank you. Thank you!"

"Anything to make my daughter happy." Samos said. "Now, hurry up and get dressed. You shouldn't keep your groom waiting for long."

* * *

Back at the Temple, Jak was pacing. After several laps around the room, he stopped briefly to check his clothes, and then he went back to pacing. Daxter watched his friend with amusement. "Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing?" Daxter asked. "The great Jak Mar is nervous?"

Jak rounded on Daxter, but not in an angry way. "I am not nervous, okay! I'm excited. I mean..." He continued pacing. "I've been waiting for this day since I first made the decision to propose to Keira. And not it's finally here. It's like a dream."

"Oh! A dream!" Daxter laughed. "I didn't know you were that... poetic."

Jak rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Daxter."

Suddenly, Tess the Ottsel came into the room. "Hey, boys!" She said, and for the first time ever, she gave Jak her full attention. "Hey, Jak, Keira's back... and she's a sight to see!"

"Well?" Jak demanded, desperate to see his bride.

"So... introducing the soon-to-be Mrs Keira Mar!" Tess announched rather grandly as the door opened.

Jak felt like his eyes had bugged out of his head and his jaw went slack. Never had he seen Keira more beautiful then she looked at that moment.

Samos had definately solved the dress problem by getting Keira a beautiful wedding dress that was done in the modern Haven style. It was strapless, with a flattering neckline that gave Jak a generous view of her cleavage, but it wasn't so that he'd get jealous that the thought of other people seeing her. A string of pearls drapped gracefully down her arms from the top of the dress on both sides. The fabric was a type of white silk that had pearls sewn into it. The dress clung to her curves just right, the fabric falling gracefully to the ground as it was a floor length dress.

Keira laughed at the look on Jak's face, who still was slack in the jaw. She walked over to him and playfully closed his mouth with a finger under his chin.

Daxter laughed. "Come on, Tess, we should give them time to be alone before they take the big marriage plunge!"

Tess agreed to this idea and calmly left the room with Daxter, leaving the soul-mates alone.

Jak was the first one to speak. "Oh my God, Keira! You look absolutely... heavenly!"

Keira blushed slightly. "Thanks. You look rather handsome yourself." She moved up to Jak and pressed herself into his arms. "Can you believe it? After all these years... we're finally going to get married?"

"Now that you're here, I wouldn't have it any other way." Jak said. "We are meant to be together... it's in our blood."

"I love you, Jak, with all my heart." Keira said. "And I'm ready to take the next step in my life with you... to marry you."

"Marriage is suppost to make one overwhelmingly happy." Jak repeated what Anastasia had said earlier. "When I was up there... about to marry Ashelin, I wasn't happy at all. But now, I know what that feels like, because I'm now marrying the woman I truely love. I love you, Keira."

"Just tell me you didn't sleep with Ashelin." Keira said suddenly.

"What? No! I didn't! Even if I wanted to, it would have been impossible. Every time she got close to me, I would get sick to my stomach." Jak defended himself. "No... you are the only person I've ever made love to, and you're the only person I will ever make love to."

"And, believe me, I'll hold that against you." Keira laughed. The soon-to-be husband and wife kissed each other passionately, a mere precursor to the wedding kiss only minutes away.

The door opened and Daxter walked in. "Hey, sorry to do this to you again..." Jak and Keira broke apart, but they didn't glare agrily at Daxter, they were far too absorbed in each other. They were now staring into each others eyes. "But Seem says it's time." Daxter burst into melodramatic sobs. "Oh, it's so sweet! My two best friends are getting married!"

Jak moved away from Keira, stopped, and then held out his hand for hers. "Are you ready to take the plunge?"

"I am." Keira said, taking Jak's hand.

The elf smiled broadly, giving her hand an affectionate squeeze. And then they followed Daxter out the door, and into the Temple's main room... again.

Daxter took a place in the audience, next to Tess. The female Ottsel took to comforting Daxter as he cried tears of joy.

Jak and Keira took their places in front of Seem. Before she began, she spoke quietly to Jak. "Are you sure this time?"

"Positive." Jak whispered back.

Seem nodded and began the ceremony all over again. Within seconds, however, both elves had slipped into a daydream, a daydream of revalling in their happiness.

They had been so in love with each other for so long, it was almost a given that they would marry some day. But now that 'some day' was today, they felt like the two luckiest elves on the face of the planet.

Dimly, Jak heard the pause in Seem's speech as she finished going through his vows. He hadn't really paid attention, but he knew they were the general 'love, honor, and respect' type. He wasn't planning on breaking anything, vow or no vow, with Keira, so he answered with confidence. "I do."

Seem repeated the vows, this time to Keira. It was easy to see that she was only particually paying attention to what Seem said. All she could see was the man she was marrying, her soul-mate, her lover, a man who was once 'just a friend' or her big brother. Seem paused for Keira's answer; it too came with confidence. "I do."

Seem nodded. "Then by the power vested in my by our creators, the Precursors, and the Great City of Spargus, I now pronounce you husband and wife." She said with a smile. (Weddings alway got to her.) She looked at Jak. "You may now kiss the bride."

They didn't need telling twice. Jak wrapped his arms around Keira's body and pulled her closer, while she drapped her arms around his neck. The elves shared a quick smile of joy before they pressed their lips together in a passionate kiss... their first as husband and wife.

Everyone in the temple who knew how much the young couple loved each other stood up and applauded. Anastasia was now also crying tears of joy at seeing her son married to the woman he truely loved. Samos wasn't crying, but the smile on his face betrayed his thoughts: everything had turned out just fine. Daxter was still crying, but now Tess had joined in.

Slowly, the newly-weds pulled apart from each other, practically ginning from ear to ear. They shared another shorter kiss before they turned to face their family and friends. The newly-weds found themselves buried under an avalanche of 'congradulations' and 'good lucks'! But it mattered not to Jak and Keira. They loved each other so much, and now they were married, and nothing would ever seperate them again.

* * *

**LES: Aww! You know what... I've done stories where Jak and Keira get married before, but this time seems so much more special for some reason... maybe it's because this is a part of a big series and my characters are better devoloped than some of my other stories. I hope you enjoyed that whole 'Jak is depressed' thing, because you won't be seeing another depression on that scale for quite a while...**


	13. That Night

**Chapter XIII: That Night**

**LES: Yes! They are married! But, now, Keira's got to tell her new husband that they will be starting a family much sooner than they thought.

* * *

**

Back at Jak's house, the newly-weds moved into the house, Jak carrying Keira in his arms in the traditional bridal-style. But when they had crossed the threshold, he didn't set her down. Instead, he began to kiss every inch of skin he could reach.

Keira laughed. "Jak... you can put me down now."

"But you're so light." Jak said. "I could hold you like this forever."

"I'm not questioning your strength." Keira laughed. "I was just wondering how you're going to take advantage of our wedding night if you won't put me down."

Jak saw the wisdom in her words and carefully set her down. And, at that moment, Daxter chose to walk in, bringing a loud growl from Jak's throat.

"Hey, don't worry." Daxter said with a boyish wink. "I wouldn't dare try to interupt your wedding night! I just stopped by to tell you two that I'll be staying with Tess tonight to give you time to... you know. Who knows, I may even be gone a few days. So... enjoy yourselves and have fun... Mr. and Mrs. Mar!" Daxter laughed at having called his two friends 'Mr. and Mrs.' Daxter gave them the thumbs up sign and walked back out of the house.

As soon as Daxter was gone, the newly-weds leapt into each other's arms, kissing each other passionately. When they pulled apart, Jak whispered in her ear. "You looked absolutely beautiful today... and I'm not just talking about that dress." Keira blushed, dispite herself. "Where did Samos get such a beautiful dress?"

Keira didn't answer right away. "This dress belonged to my mother." She said softly. "Daddy said... after I put it on... that I looked just like her... like my mother." Against her will, she felt tears form in her eyes.

Jak pulled his new wife into a tight embrace. "Your mother must've been... beautiful then." He said softly.

"I just... I just wish I could have known what she was like." Keira said.

It was something that Jak could understand. He hadn't known his own father as well as he would have liked, even when he had been alive. Jak put a finger under her chin and lifted her face so he could look into her eyes, eyes that he loved. "I know that nothing could ever replace a real mother, just as nothing can replace a real father. But you've got my mother for a mother-in-law now, and Anastasia loves you. I do not have a real father, but I have your father. Just think of it this way..." Jak smiled. "Between us, we've got one complete set of parents."

Keira laughed. "I guess you're right. I love you, Jak." She finished in a whisper. "I want you to show me... show me what it really means to be husband and wife."

Jak smiled lovingly. "I'd love to show you." He lowered his face to hers and gave her a tender, passionate kiss.

Keira returned the kiss with equal passion, but also simply enjoying his taste, as they had been seperated for several days. And, to two soul-mates, a moment spent apart seems to last forever, in a bad sort of way. And every moment spent together was an eturnity, but the good type.

Without wasting another second on any more meaningless words, Jak set to work undoing her dress. Normally, they would have carelessly tossed the discarded clothes aside, but Jak knew how much the dress must mean to Keira, so he gave her the time to set it in a place where it could be put away later, and not get ruined before then. Of course, Jak did take advantage of this time to rip off his tunic. The Seal of Mar fell against his bare chest and he swiftly pulled it off.

He walked up behind Keira and undid her bra, letting it casually fall to the ground.

Keira turned around to face Jak and smiled as his eyes wandered automatically to her bare chest. The she-elf reached over and ran a hand across her husband's bare chest and smiled in such a sexy way that Jak was pratcially panting with lust. "What if I told you..." Keira began playfully. "That I wasn't in the mood for sex?"

Jak hoped to the Precursors that she was kidding, because he was most definately in the mood for sex. After a few seconds, Jak laughed. "I would say that you're not a very good liar." Keira laughed, and Jak had to join in this game. "What if I told you that I wasn't in the mood for sex?" He asked with a smile.

After a quick glance downwards, Keira smiled. "I would say that you're not much of a liar yourself." She said. "We know each other too well."

"I can live with that." Jak said with a rather wicked grin as he began to lead the near-nude she-elf to their room. Keira did not protest her husband's movements in the slightest.

They moved into the room, and Jak closed the door behind them as Keira moved over to the bed and got on, waiting for her husband to join her. Jak took slightly longer to get on the bed then Keira because he took that time to strip down to nothing.

Keira watched with a small smile playing across her face as Jak crawled on to the bed, hovering about her when he noticed that something wasn't quite right. "Why do you still have your panties on?" He demanded. Keira burst out laughing, just because of how stupid the comment sounded coming out of Jak's mouth. The elf glared at her, but not so much in anger as in embarrassment. He didn't like it when people laughed at his expense. "Never mind. I'll just take them off myself." He moved down Keira's body, planting kisses randomly on her skin, sending shivers of pleasure up her spine. Finally, he reached her underwear and slowly pulled them off, tossing them aside. And then he ran his hands up, agonizingly slow, up her legs, thighes, curves; up until he was level with his wife again.

Keira smiled, her eyes filled with love and lust. "I love you, Jak. I love you so much."

"I know." Jak said with a smile. "I love you too." He joined his lips with hers in a hungry manner and he dove deeply into his new wife.

Making love now was so different than their first time. For one thing, they were much more experienced, so they completely by-passed the 'get used to it' stage and went straight to the pleasure. They knew each other's bodies so well that, with a single caress, they could send shivers of pleasure through their soul-mate's body.

For another thing, there was their status as a married couple. Now, not only would their joining be accepted by society and tradition, but it was practically expected and encouraged. It was the only thought that remained above the feelings of their love-making. They were married! It was like a dream come true! Every time Jak kissed Keira, he kissed his wife. Every time she screamed out Jak's name in pleasure, she was really calling out her husband's name.

Jak knew exactly when Keira was approaching her climax as she dug her fingers into his scared back, and a moan of pleasure escaped her beautiful kiss-swollen lips. He felt his own climax approaching, almost like his blood was on fire... in a good way.

Keira reached extasy first, crying out in pleasure as the orgasm rolled over her body like a tank. It was like a million explosions of pleasure were going off all through her body.

Several seconds later, his orgasm hit him full force, and he joined Keira in her cry of pleasure.

After several seconds that seemed to last an eturnity, the orgasm faded, leaving only the after-effects of the mind-numbing pleasure.

Jak continued to kiss his wife's skin, moving up the smooth column of her throat and reaching the place where his mouth met hers in a long, passion-filled kiss. With Jak still hovering over the she-elf, he pulled her into an embrace, buring his face into her hair as to remember her smell and feel. Keira, likewise, wrapped her arms around her husband's body.

"I love you." Jak breathed in a husky, fatigue-ridden voice.

Keira smiled lovingly at her husband. "I love you too." She pulled Jak's face down to hers so they could share another passionate kiss. "I'm glad you're the one I married."

"And I'm so glad you interupted that wedding when you did." Jak said. "I don't know what I would have done if I married Ashelin and then found out you were still alive." He ran his fingers through her sweat-dampened hair.

"It doesn't matter now." Keira breathed. "I'm alive, and we're married now. Everything is as it should be."

Jak merely smiled as he ran his hand down through her hair, down her neck, over her breasts, and across the smooth plane of her stomach. And then he stopped, his hand coming to rest on her lower abdomen.

There was something different about Keira... he could almost sense it. It was almost too small for him to notice, but he noticed it now. The Light Eco in his body gave him the limited ability to sense someone's life force. It was very limited because he had to be touching said person to feel their life force, and it didn't really matter. Once he was close enough to touch something, you could probably tell the mundaine way if they are alive or not. But, along with Keira's life-force, he could sense something much smaller... a tiny source of Light Eco under his hand.

Jak heard his Light Side become active in the back of his mind. _'There's Light Eco there... there's Life...'_

_Life?_ Jak thought. He looked up at Keira in surprise. "Keira, are you preg..."

Keira pressed her finger against Jak's lips, effectively shutting him up. "Jak, before you say anything else, I just have to tell you something." She paused, her finger still pressed against Jak's lips to stop him from interuptting. He waited semi-patiently for Keira to continue again. Finally, she started again when she had gathered her wits. "Jak, I love you, and that's why I married you today. As long as we're together, we can be happy. As long as you are the man at my side, I will never doubt our love. No matter what happens in the future, we'll face the trials and we'll defeat them if we are together." Keira now removed her finger from Jak's lips, but he remained silent. "Yes, Jak, I am pregnant. I found out in the Wasteland."

"We're..." Jak paused, and swallowed nervously. "We're gonna be parents?" He finally managed to ask. Keira nodded. "I... I don't know what kind of father I'll be..."

"No, Jak. No doubts." Keira said. "I understand why you feel nervous. But all you need to do is be yourself... then you will be a greath dad."

Jak smiled at Keira and nodded. "You're right. If I try to be something I'm not, I'm bound to screw it up."

"Just love me." Keira said. "And love our baby." She pressed his hand agaisnt her stomach, where he could feel the fragile life inside her. "Then everything will turn out fine."

Jak pressed his lips to hers. When he pulled away, he smiled. "We don't have to worry about you. You're going to be a great mother."

Keira smiled back at him and pulled her new husband into another kiss. "I love you, Jak, so much." She breathed lovingly.

"I love you too." He whispered back, finally rolling off his wife and taking the place next to her on the bed. "I know I have little to offer you except my eturnal love and one other thing... protection. I'll protect you and our child with my life... I would die for you without hesitation."

"No, Jak, you must live for me, just as I must live for you. You can protect us from everything out there... and I'll protect your soul." Keira said.

"It's a deal. Someone's got to protect me from myself... and you're the perfect person." He looked at Keira and found it amusing that her eyes were half-closed with sleep. "Are you tired?" He asked.

"It's been a long day." Keira pointed out with a smile. "It's been so long since I've been able to sleep on a real bed instead of sand."

Jak laughed. "Good night, then, my beautiful wife."

"Good night." Keira breathed as she fell asleep, her naked body pressed against Jak's.

It only took a few more minutes before Jak felt sleep start to claim him. With one last look down at his new wife, Jak slowly fell asleep.

Tomorrow would be a brand new day.

* * *

**Muse: This was the last chapter, right? Is the series fin?**

**LES: Well...**

**Muse: Oh great.**

**LES: Hey, I already discussed this with you. There's several stories left to go... at least two more. There's the sequel to this one coming out soon... 'November Born' and then there's a story that will chonical Jak and Keira's time as parents, and the things that happen to them during that time. November Born will take place a few days after this story ended. Anyway, catch ya soon with 'November Born'!**


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